Her Guardian
by VAfanfiction
Summary: His work is all Dimitri has ever known. He volunteers to guard Rose from a crazed criminal, who's intent on making Rose his once again. What happens when Dimitri starts to fall in love with the one person he swore to protect? AH/AU
1. Chapter 1

I could feel the back of my shirt drenched in sweat as anticipation to attack ran through my mind. My team of six of the most skilled, but ruthless men and I were crouched outside the penthouse of known drug lord Nathan Nabakov, getting ready to finally take the son-of-a-bitch down.

My team and I had been tracking the movements of Nathan for the past 4 months. One of our informants had told us about a drug deal going down today, at this very location. As one of the youngest, but highest-ranking DEA agents, it was up to me to decide if I trusted the information enough to plan a raid. I gathered a group of men I trusted most and went with my gut to attack today. If all went well, this would send the drug market into a frenzy, since Nathan was one of the most well-known drug kingpins not only in the country, but in the whole world. And that is exactly what I wanted.

A little distance away from the penthouse, were more agents waiting for the arrest to go down and give backup if needed.

I pulled at the mask on my face, trying to cool off, and focused on the voices coming through the earpiece. All I needed was the confirmation in Nathan's own voice that he was selling drugs and I would give the signal to go.

"Come on you son-of-a-bitch," I muttered quietly. Through the earpiece, I heard the deal finally coming to an end. I lifted my finger as all 6 men watched it as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. As soon I heard the confirmation I needed, I dropped my finger so it pointed to the door and we attacked.

It took two kicks for my 6 foot 7 frame to knock the door completely off its hinges. My men and I quickly dispersed through out the area as shouts and gunshots began to go off. We had gotten the layout of the penthouse, and the informant had told us that Nathan always enjoyed conducting business in the living room. As 5 members of my team incapacitated the men in the foyer, Ivan and I made our way to the living room. As soon as we entered, 7 different men, bodyguards for the both Nathan and the man he was dealing with, came towards us. I recognized the other man as Boris, a nasty dealer who seemed more into using his supply than selling it. The guards began to charge at Ivan and I, looking for a fight. And a fight was what they got. Even as DEA agents, we trained like athletes and those men were no competition for us.

Emil and Yuri joined in, as the latter went for the remaining guard on my left as Emil went towards Boris. That left me with Nathan.

As I made my way over to the tall and slim blond, I noticed him take a quick nervous glance at a door off to the left side of the living room. It happened so fast that I might have missed it if hadn't been playing such close attention to him.

"Any last words Nathan," I said, as I pushed him, face first into the wall. Roughly grabbing his hands, I took out my cuffs, ready to haul his ass to prison myself.

His arrogance made way as he chuckled in response. "You really think you can get me locked up cop?" He laughed once again, and the sound irked me so much, I grabbed his cuffed arms back and slammed him into the wall again. "I could buy any judge in the state, hell I could buy any judge in the country. I'll be a free man by tomorrow, mark my words cop." I shoved Nathan towards some of the arresting officers coming in. I clenched my knuckles hard, forcing myself not to ruin the whole case by beating Nathan to a pulp. No, I had worked too damn hard on this case and wouldn't let my underlying anger ruin something for me, again.

As Nathan walked out with the officers, I saw him take another glance back at the door, before finally disappearing from my sight.

Cops were all over the place in seconds, bagging up any evidence straight away. I nodded towards Ivan and pointed to the door on the left and we both made our in there before any of the other cops did.

It seemed to be Nathan's bedroom. The room was almost the size of the living room, with a king sized bed, large walk in closet and black, sleek wood cabinets.

 _What was in here that made him so nervous?_ I thought to myself. I pulled the mask from over my head, to speak more easily to Ivan.

Ivan and I used our gloved hands to do a quick and thorough search of the room. Ivan went to look in the closet and bathroom, while I checked the cabinets. I opened each one and found nothing that seemed out of the ordinary for a man like Nathan. There was an over-excessive amount of jewelry, weaponry, money, and fancy clothes, but that seemed didn't seem to shocking to me considering the type of man I was dealing with.

I opened up the last cabinet and noticed that the bottom part of it was shut using a lock that required a key. _Jackpot._

I didn't even bother looking for the key, and instead used brute force to pull the lock completely off the metal loop. Ivan came up behind me, as I threw the lock to the side.

"What's in there?"

"Something he doesn't want the world to see," I said with a shrug.

I yanked the panel of the cabinet off and a body spilled out of it.

Ivan jumped back in surprise, yelling, "What the fuck?"

I sat there frozen for a few seconds before my mind and body went into overdrive. The top half of the body landed directly in my lap. All I saw a mass of dark, long hair covering the face of a woman.

"Call a medic in here, hurry!" I told Ivan and he rushed out of the room to get help. I gently grabbed the body and pulled it all the way out of the cabinet, laying it down softly on the carpet. The body belonged to a girl, with tan skin that was littered in bruises. In fact, there wasn't a part of her body that looked unmarked. She was dressed in a barely there piece of lingerie that did a horrible job at covering her up. I shook my head in disgust, my body seething with anger.

Nathan was lucky. He was so lucky he walked out of here before I found this girl or he would've been a dead man. Ivan and a few medics came in not even minute later. I was pushed out of the way, as they began checking her vitals and getting her onto the stretcher.

One medic went towards the girl and moved her hair out of her face. My eyes widened slightly looking at her. I guess Nathan thought she was too pretty to take hits on the face, because her skin looked flawless compared to the rest of her body. Just as the medic lifted her body onto the stretcher, she let out a barely audible groan of pain.

"Miss can you hear me?" The medic asked as they led the girl out, with Ivan and I hot on their trails. I barely registered most of the people in the living room coming to a halt at the sight of the girl. My focus was completely on her.

As we rushed out of the penthouse, I kept my ears open, listening closely for any sound coming from the girl again. Finally, she mumbled something incoherently.

"Miss, can you tell us your name?" She immediately mumbled again, moving her head side to side. She kept clenching her eyes shut, and groaning.

"Hurry up, she's clearly in pain," my agitation coming out against the medics. One shot me a cool look.

"If we go any faster, it might jostle her body and cause her more pain," the medic informed me. Ivan quickly shot me a look, telling me to calm down, but I was the farthest thing from calm. The ambulance finally came into view and they began to lift her in.

"I'm coming, too," I said, not even waiting for an answer and climbing in after them. They looked at me annoyed, but didn't say anything else. I turned towards Ivan once again, "Can you handle the initial reports for me? I'll be back for the briefing, I just want to make sure she gets there okay," I said.

He quickly nodded in response and said, "Yeah man, you go." I shot him a quick smile of gratitude and settled in to the seat. The medics began hooking her up, as the girl quietly continued to groan. My hand was itching to reach out and grab hers, but I thought better of it considering she had no idea who I was. She mumbled something again, and I barely heard it. "Miss, can you tell us your name?" The medic repeated once more.

I leaned closer, waiting to hear something, anything come out of the girl's mouth.

Finally, very quietly, she whispered in voice filled with pain and agony, "Rose, my name is Rose.


	2. Chapter 2

Rose Hathaway-Mazur had been kidnapped outside of her school 5 months ago. Her parents, Ibrahim Mazur and Janine Hathaway-Mazur said Rose always stayed late on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for dance practice. On May 5th, she never came home. Her belongings were found strewn near her car. It looked like there had been a struggle. The police tried for months to locate her, but came up empty-handed. Rose had disappeared without a trace and was never seen again, until now.

That was all of the information I had gathered 4 hours after bringing Rose to the hospital. Her parents, a Turkish man in bright clothing and short woman with fiery, red hair, were huddled together, waiting for the doctor to come out and inform them of their daughter's physical state.

I had told Ivan I would be back at the headquarters soon, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't get my self to leave. I had already pissed off half the nurses in the hall, asking them constantly for updates on Rose.

As an agent in the field, it was obvious to me that the girl had suffered sexual trauma, along with routine physical beatings. While bringing her in, I noticed bruises on the inside of her thighs, along with red, angry marks on her wrists, indicating she had been handcuffed or tied up for long periods of time.  
I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of images of Rose being tied up and tortured by Nathan. I couldn't imagine the type of suffering the seventeen-year old had endured. If I could ever get my hands on Nathan, I would rip his arms and dick from his body so he never thought of hurting another girl again for the rest of his fucked up life.

As a child, I always knew I wanted to go into law enforcement, but the reason I chose to be a DEA agent was because I didn't want to ever have to deal with a victim. It was something I just didn't have the stomach for. My focus was completely on ridding the world of criminals like Nathan, so more people could be safe. For the first time in my 5-year career, I had dealt with a victim, and I didn't like it.  
Already, I was getting too close to the case, allowing my personal feelings to cloud my judgment. I wanted nothing more than to sit by Rose's bedside and make sure she made it out of here safe and sound. This wasn't part of the job, and I needed to remember that. I would help Rose the best way I could, and that would be by making sure Nathan never saw the light of day again.

After taking one more glance towards her room, I forced myself away from the wall and left.

I made it to the headquarters in 20 minutes, walking straight to my desk, and plopping down from exhaustion.

"You look like shit," said Adrian, my cousin and one of the men from my team, walking over and leaning his hip on my desk. I didn't bother answering him, and rolled my neck around a few times, trying to get the kinks out. The hospital chairs were a pain.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, my ass. Where the hell have you been man? Hans has been asking about you." Ivan said, walking up to me.

"She was only seventeen Ivan," I muttered quietly. I think that was the part that was bothering me the most. Rose was just a few months older than my baby sister, Vika. She had her whole life ahead of her, and I doubt she would ever go back to normal or feel safe again.

"кусок дерьма," Ivan cursed, angrily in our native tongue. We both reverted back to Russian anytime our emotions were high. "Did she wake up?"

"She passed out again before we even made it to the hospital. I left before she got up, but her parents were there." I said, thinking back to a few hours ago when her parents had gotten there. Her mom had been absolutely hysterical, and her father looked scary as hell when demanding the doctor to let them see her. I had cut in, letting them know who I was and where we had found Rose. I left out the parts of what she was wearing and how she looked. I couldn't bring myself to tell the details of their daughter's state when I found her. The doctor would have to fill them in for the gruesome details.

"What a damn shame. So now we have Nathan on kidnapping charges, as well." Just hearing his name was making the rage build up inside of me again. I was known for being level-headed and composed. Very few had been unfortunate enough to see my angry side. It was something I tried really hard to keep in control. Today, it was trying to force its way out of my body. As tired as I was, I knew I would need to let out my pent-up rage on some dummies and a punching bag before heading home.

With a sigh, I got my self out of the seat and made my way to Hans Croft's office, my boss. I knocked twice and waited for his gruff voice to respond.

"Come in."

I made my way inside of the room and remained standing.

"Where have you been Belikov?" He looked more tired than I was and I suddenly felt worse for not coming here sooner and actually doing my job.

"I accompanied the girl found in Nabokov's place to the hospital, sir. After finding out her name, I discovered she was only seventeen so I stayed there until her parents arrived," I said, lying through my teeth. I had made up mind to stay there long before finding out Rose's age and didn't leave for more than 2 hours after her parents had arrived there.

"Name?"

"Rose Hathaway-Mazur, sir."

Hans's eyes widened slightly, telling me he knew who she was. "The girl that was taken from St. Vladamir's Academy a few months ago?"

"Yes sir," I replied.

"Very well. Ivan and the rest of the team have written reports and briefed me on everything they found. I just need you to write an official report from your point of view. There's going to be a lot more charges added onto Nabakov's sentencing than just possessing and selling drugs. He plays dirty though, so we need to be ready for anything."

"Yes sir."

"Alright, unless there is anything else you need, then you can go and write up your report and head home. It's been a long day for all of us." I nodded in response. "Dismissed."

I walked out and started to write my report.

Usually nothing and no one could distract me or take me away from my work. I was dedicated to my career, and decided long ago that the job would be the only 'wife' I would ever have.

Despite all of that, I noticed my mind kept drifting off to Rose. A report that usually didn't take me more than an hour to finish, had taken me more than two hours to complete today.

Had she woken up? Did she remember anything that happened to her? Was she scared? Hurt?

I finally finished up my report and dropped it off at Han's office. I grabbed my things to leave, but decided I had one more thing to do.

After sitting back down, I contemplated what I was about to do and then opened up our datebase and typed in 'Rose Hathaway-Mazur.'

Everything about the girl, from her personal information to the details of her kidnapping all popped up. I read each sentence of her kidnapping report as if it was my favorite Western novel, making sure I didn't miss any detail. It said that Rose always had dance practice 3 days a week until 5:45 and made it home by 6 p.m. Since St. Vlad's was a private school, it didn't contain many students and no one had been around by the time Rose was getting ready to go home. A man who lived down the street from the school had said he heard a high-pitched scream at around 6:03 p.m., which made him call the police. That is where they had discovered Rose's car, car keys, and all of her school belongings on the ground.

The school was very old-fashioned and had no cameras, so nothing was caught on tape. All of Rose's friends had said that there was nothing off about Rose's behavior and they were all shell-shocked at what had happened. Rose had no enemies, they said, she was loved by everyone.

There was one statement from a girl named Vasilissa Dragomir that stood out from the rest. She stated there had been one instance a few days before Rose's kidnapping where she admitted that she felt like she was being watched. The Dragomir girl said that she questioned Rose about what she meant, but Rose hadn't elaborated and didn't mention it again.

There was a picture attached to the report and I clicked on it. It was a school picture of Rose from her junior year of high school.

The girl on the screen looking back at me had playful brown eyes, and pouty lips that were formed into a small smile. The dark mane that I clearly remembered was loosely curled and framing her face perfectly.

I sighed and leaned back in the chair. She would never be the same again.

But I would make sure nothing else would ever harm her.

 ** _3 months later_**

Nathan had been convicted and handed 2 consecutive life sentences for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and rape charges of a minor within the first month of his arrest. I had worked the case day and night, ensuring every piece of evidence was dealt with properly so he could get his sentence started as soon as possible.

I hadn't seen Rose again since the day we found her. She was dealt with by the police and lawyers, who took her statements to use against Nathan in court. She had nothing to do with the DEA so I never came across her again.

From her statement, I learned that she had first seen Nathan 2 weeks before her kidnapping. She had gone into the city with her friends for one of their birthdays. They went to an expensive restaurant where she caught the eye of Nathan Nabakov.

Unbeknownst to Rose, he stalked her for 2 weeks before deciding to take her.

He kept her for 5 months, raping her and beating her every single day until we found her.

There wasn't much else in her statements. She hadn't been at the trial, her lawyers had stated she was too traumatized to live through her abuse once again for an audience to hear.  
Any other time, I would only care that all of the evidence was used properly and justice was served. I never let the job get too personal. And I was telling my self this when I cornered the lawyer who had spoke on behalf of Rose. I needed to know how she actually was. It was something that had been eating me up inside since the day I left her in the hospital.

"I'm not at liberty to reveal any information on my client. I will say that this is going to be a long road to recovery for the girl." I didn't push him for any more information. It was none of my business.

I had re-emerged myself into my work after Nathan was sent to prison. It wasn't until a few months after the arrest, when everything changed.

Hans called me into his office and I noticed that there was a man sitting in one of the chairs facing Hans's desk. It took me only a few seconds to recognize the man in the cashmere scarf and gold jewelry. It was Ibrahim Mazur.

"Belikov, this is Ibrahim Mazur. I believe you two have already been acquainted with one another." I looked at Mazur and nodded towards him. "He is here with some news on Nabokov."

Intrigued, I turned my attention towards Ibrahim. He pulled some papers out of a folder he had been carrying and handed them to me. I skimmed them over. They were hand written letters to someone called 'My Wife' and they were all signed by Nathan.

"He's writing your daughter notes from prison?" Mazur nodded and I read someone of the lines on the notes. They were explicit details, ranging from what he would do to Rose the next time he saw her to how he planned on killing her for betraying him.

 _I'm going to fuck you in front of your parents, before bleeding them out before your eyes._

 _You'll regret ever betraying me, my wife._

 _No one will ever take you away from me._

 _There is no place you will ever be safe. I'm coming for you._

As I read each line, the rage inside of me kept building. I wanted to go to the prison myself and rid the world of this scum once and for all. I took two deep breaths, trying to keep my anger at bay.

"I wouldn't take his threats to seriously Mr. Mazur. There's no way Nathan is getting out of prison."

"With all due respect, I have a hard time believing any of you. No police officer had any clue my daughter had been taken by that sick fuck. None of you had any idea she was there. By some miracle by God, you just happened to stumble upon her when arresting him for something completely different."

Hans cut in. "Mr. Mazur, that is an issue you should take up with the officers that were on your daughter's case."

"Believe me, I have. They couldn't help me then, and they can't help me now." He turned towards me, "But you can."

"And how's that?"

"Aside from my daughter, you know every detail of Nabakov's life, yes? You were the one assigned to take him down and you did." Mazur was right and he knew it. He reminded me a lot of a mobster, with his conniving eyes and know-it-all statements.

He took my silence for confirmation on what he said.

"I want nothing more than for my daughter to be safe. I've heard of Nabakov before. The man doesn't stay in prison for longer than 5 months before his evidence magically disappears or the people who accuse him recant their statements. I wont take the risk of my little girl getting hurt again."

"And what would you like for us to do?" Questioned Hans.

"I would like your agent," he said pointing to me, "to guard my daughter until I know that the threat has been neutralized. I'm willing to pay you double than what you make here."

"I'm no babysitter Mazur," I muttered. No way would this man walk in here and demand anything from me.

"I'm not asking you to leave all of your responsibilities to watch over her. I'm saying that I would like you to take the job as her guardian, along with what you do here."

"There is no threat Mr. Mazur. Nabakov has already been dealt with. These" Hans said, pointing to the letters, "are just empty promises that Nabakov has no way of keeping."

"I just can't believe that. He's taken her from me once, who's to say he can't do it a second time."

"I don't work with victims Mazur, I only deal with criminals so people like your daughter are safe."

Ibrahim got quiet for a while, contemplating his next words. He knew I was no where near budging and accepting what he had to offer.

"She hasn't hugged me since we've gotten her back," he said quietly. I could tell immediately that showing his emotions like this was out of character for him. He seemed to be struggling with his words. "Since the day you found her, she hasn't let any of us touch her. She wakes up every night screaming. And then these notes started." The more he talked, the quieter and more upset he became. "I prayed every night while she was gone, that if I ever got her back, I would never let her out of my sight again. But now I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to properly protect her if anything were to happen again. I'm only willing to let her out of my sight if I trust the person I'm handing her off, too. I've read your file Belikov. You graduated top of you class, and fighting is one of you greatest strengths. I will give you all of the money I have, if you do this for me."

Mazur looked so vulnerable, unlike the man who was speaking to us just a few minutes ago. An image of Rose popped into my head again and I immediately thought of Vika. I compared the girls in my mind again. I would do anything to protect Vika, even if it meant handing her off to someone who I knew could do a better job at protecting her than I could. With that, I made up my mind.

Not thinking too much about it in fear I would change my mind, I faced Mazur and spoke.

"I accept your offer."


	3. Chapter 3

"You what?!" Ivan all but yelled in my face.

He had just found out that I had agreed to become Rose's guardian, and he was shocked. Hell, I was still shocked that I had agreed to it. I had invited him over my place for breakfast before work so I could tell him the news without an audience.

"Why would you say yes?"

"What if it was Vika?" That was the question that I kept asking myself every time I thought about why I agreed to do this.

Ivan's eyes immediately softened at my question. "But it wasn't, and if it had been, you would've protected her yourself instead of shipping her off to a stranger." I understood where he was coming from, but I still felt the need to defend Mazur's reasoning.

"If I had been in that position, I would've protected Vika myself, but that's because I know no one could do a better job at it than me. Mazur obviously doesn't feel that way, so he doesn't want to take any chances. Plus, it's only for a little while until he realizes that there is no way Nathan is ever getting out of prison." I was sure in a few months, every thing would settle down for the Mazur family and they wouldn't need my help anymore.

"So what, she's going to come live with you?"

"I told Mazur I had a spare bedroom Rose could stay in and it's not too far from her house or the school. He offered to move us into a new place, but no way was I moving all of my stuff to a different apartment."

"So now you're going to have a seventeen year old living with you? You haven't lived with anyone since you were 18, this is going to be a big change for you."

"I know man, I'm just hoping she's able to adjust." It was true, I wasn't too worried about the change, because all I was doing was offering up a room to the girl. I couldn't help but remember what her father said about her not letting her parents touch her and waking up every night due to nightmares. I was worried about how she would adjust to living with a complete stranger right after finding her way back to her parents. She had been through so much, and I just wanted to make sure she would be as comfortable as possible living with me.

I had spent the last few days cleaning out the spare room and buying groceries for my place. I pretty much only came home to shower, eat, and sleep, and spent most of my time at the headquarters, so there was a lot that I needed to get.

I was going to be meeting Rose later today and she was going to be coming home with me.

Her dad and I both agreed that the fewer people who knew about this arrangement, the better. I didn't want any more attention placed on Rose, and I doubt she would want that either. We all wanted this to be as discreet as possible.

Ivan and I chugged our coffee and made our way out of my place.

"When do you meet her?"

"Today," I answered. For some reason, I was a little anxious and nervous about meeting her. It's not that I wasn't sure I could do my job. I knew for a fact that no one could protect the girl like I could. It was more of a feeling in the back of my mind telling me that I had already gotten myself too close to this case, because of Rose. Inviting her into my home and agreeing to guard was something that I would never have done for anyone else, and I wondered how this would all end in the long run.

Aside from Ivan, my family, and very few co-workers, I rarely interacted with anyone. I didn't have much of a social life outside of my job, and I enjoyed solitude. It had been a long time since I had lived with someone and I guess I was just worried that I would say or do the wrong that could potentially upset Rose.

Trying to ease my mind, I focused on the day ahead of me and went to work.

Near the end of my shift, I was called into the office by Hans. Walking in, the eyes of Hans, Ibrahim, and Janine Mazur turned towards me. Janine looked far less pleased to see me than her husband did. I guess she wasn't sold on the idea of her daughter living with a stranger, right after getting her back, and I couldn't say I blamed her.

The fourth person in the room, who I was assuming was Rose, remained completely still in her seat. She had her head turned towards her lap and her long, dark hair was obstructing her face so I couldn't see anything more than her back.

"Belikov," Ibrahim nodded, greeting me.

"Mazur," I nodded back.

"I don't think you've been properly introduced to our daughter. This is Rose," I turned towards her once again. We all waited a few seconds before the girl in question finally raised her head and turned towards me.

The girl looking at me was not the girl I had seen in the picture. Her once playful eyes looked haunted. She had slight bags under her eyes, probably due to her constant nightmares. She looked as thin as the day we had rescued her. Rose looked mentally and physically exhausted.

And despite all of this, I couldn't help think that she was absolutely breathtaking.

I could have stared at her all day, if I didn't feel like such a creep for ogling a minor.

"My name is Dimitri," I said, deciding at the last minute not to offer her my hand to shake. If she couldn't let her parents touch her, no way in hell would she shake my hand.

Rose gave me a small smile that didn't reach her eyes and softly replied, "Hi."

I turned towards her parents once again. "I want you to know that I take this job very seriously. I can give you my word that your daughter will be completely safe with me. I won't let anything happen to her." I said with complete sincerity. Her parents must have believed the conviction in my tone, because Janine finally gave me a grateful smile.

"Thank you Dimitri," she said tearfully.

The Mazurs and I made our way to my apartment, and I showed them where Rose would be staying. After ensuring the couple that I had locks on all windows, a high-tech alarm system, and enough weaponry to take down a whole army, they were finally ready to leave Rose in my care.

As they were leaving, I noticed both parents try to stop themselves from engulfing Rose in a hug. It was heartbreaking to see and I could tell it affected Rose, as well.

"Mom, Baba, I'll be okay. I'll call you if I need anything, just please go home and get some rest."

"Okay Kiz, you know we love you right?" Her dad said, and I swear Janine looked like she was going to burst into tears any second.

Rose gave them a smile and nodded, "I know, I love you guys, too."

They turned to leave, before I stopped them.

"Anytime either of you miss Rose, just come over. You don't need to worry about asking me or making sure I'm home when you do. This is Rose's place now, too so you're both free to come any time to check up on her." I wasn't planning on saying that, but they looked so upset leaving their daughter that the words spilled out before I could stop them.

They both gave me a smile of gratitude before thanking me and bidding us a goodnight.

That just left Rose and I alone.

"If you're hungry, I can make you something to eat unless you wanted to get settled in first."

"I think I'm just going to head to bed," she said quietly and I told her that was perfectly fine. She went to bed and I made my way to the kitchen to eat a quick dinner before going to sleep.

About an hour later, I walked past Rose's closed bedroom and could hear the sound of her softly crying. I raised my fist to knock on the door to ask her if she was okay, but thought better of it. I didn't know how to comfort another human being. What would I say? Its not like I could give her a hug. Plus, if it was me, I wouldn't want another person to see me emotional. With that in mind, I reluctantly pulled myself away from Rose's bedroom door and went to sleep.

The next few days weren't any better. Rose barely spoke to me or anyone else for that matter. Any time I was around when her parents called, she barely spoke for more than a few minutes before finding any excuse to hang up. I tried numerous times to get her to join me for dinner, but she always declined and opted to stay in her room with her door completely shut.

I tried making small talk with her, but it went no where and she looked as uncomfortable with it as I felt.

It wasn't until three nights later when I was making dinner for myself when Rose came in to speak with me. I had asked her before heading down if she wanted to eat and she hadn't even bothered responding. After a few minutes of standing outside her door, I decided that she wasn't going to say anything and went to make myself something to eat.

As I was cooking, I heard her walk in.

"Um, Dimitri," she said quietly and I turned to look at her. She looked even worse than the day she came to live here. Her hair was up, and she was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a black pair of tights. She had dark circles under her eyes and I wondered if she had slept at all since she had gotten here. "Do you have a moment? I wanted to speak with you."

"Yes, of course." I turned off the stove and gave Rose all of my attention.

She looked a little nervous and she kept wringing her fingers. I waited patiently for her to start speaking.

"I wanted to apologize to you," she finally said, surprising me.

"Apologize for what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"For the way I've been behaving the past few days. You've been nothing but nice to me and I've completely ignored you. So I'm sorry." She said, finally looking at me.

"You have nothing to apologize for," I told her and I truly meant it. This was a big adjustment for her and after every thing she had been through, I wasn't expecting her to come here with a positive mindset.

"Still, agreeing to this living arrangement was a choice I made. It's just," she took a deep breath and seemed to be struggling with her words and I waited patiently again for her to finish her thoughts. This was the most she had ever said to me and I was hanging off of every word that came out of her mouth.

"I wasn't always like this, you know. I used to be social and you couldn't pay me enough money to shut up, but after everything that happened," she trailed off, not completing her sentence. Not that she needed to, since I knew exactly what she meant.

"Anyways, I'm trying to dig parts of the old Rose back up. My parents have suffered enough because of me and I want them to feel like they haven't completely lost me."

I was in awe of the girl standing in front me. For a teenager, she had such a mature head on her shoulders. After everything she's been through, her concern was not for herself, but for her parents.

"I think your parents are lucky to have such a strong and mature daughter," I told her and I meant it. She smiled and waved off my compliment.

"It's nothing. Anyways, I just wanted to come and ask you to just be a little patient with me. I'm trying to find my way to back to the old me, buts it's going to take some time. You've taken me in and I don't know how I could ever repay you."

Now it was my turn to smile and wave off her compliment. "I'm more than happy to do it Rose."

She gave me a small smile in return, and I couldn't help but think that she looked beautiful when she smiled. I had to make sure I made her smile more often.

Rose turned to leave, but then stopped and turned back around. Her eyebrows were low, and she seemed a lot more serious than she had been moments before.

"There was one more thing I wanted to say." I nodded at her, to let her know she could continue. She looked at the floor once again and what she said next made my blood run cold. "If something happens, where he gets out and ends up finding me, and a situation occurs where you need to choose between saving my life and risking your own, I need you to promise me that you will not sacrifice yourself for me." She looked at me as she said the last part, and I could tell this was something she had thought long and hard about.

I was stunned for a moment, before I found my voice to respond. "Rose, I don't think I can do that."

"I need you to promise me Dimitri. Too many people have already died because of me. I can't have anyone else's blood on my hands."

What the hell did she mean? I thought back to the statement Rose had given to the police and she hadn't mentioned anything about others dying.

"You need to promise me you will not risk your life for mine. Trust me, I'm not worth it." She spoke so quietly and calmly, and I knew she was dead set on her decision.

She seemed to be waiting for a response, but I didn't know what to say. I was ready to lay down my life for her the moment she fell into my lap all those months ago. And I knew the more I got to know her, the harder it would become for me to honor her wishes. I also knew she wouldn't take no for an answer.

So I did the only thing I could think of doing and gave her one reluctant nod, telling her I agreed.

She seemed pleased with my answer, bid me goodnight and left me all alone with my thoughts.

All night, I tossed and turned in bed, thinking back to what she had asked of me. I tried to picture a bloody and dying Rose in my arms. It was an image I couldn't stand to think about and I realized a moment later that by telling Rose I agreed to her terms, that I had just lied to her for the first time.


	4. Chapter 4

**This is the most I've written in one weekend. Summer break is about to start and I'm excited to update all of my ongoing stories more often.**

 **This chapter has some dark scenes that mention sexual abuse so please don't read it if you're uncomfortable. Please let me know what you think.**

 **All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

Giving up on the sleep that wouldn't come to me, I decided to get out of bed to get myself a glass of water. I looked at the clock in the kitchen and saw it was a quarter till 2. What Rose had asked of me kept running through my mind. Should I have straight up told her no?

As unlikely as it was, I knew that if Nathan did come for her, I wouldn't hesitate throwing myself in from of Rose. I was just hoping it never came to that.

Deciding to give sleep another shot, I put my foot on the first step when I heard the scream. I grabbed my gun that I kept in the bottom drawer in my foyer and ran to Rose's room. I had guns and knives hidden all around the house, incase of emergencies. When I made it Rose's room, I quickly pushed my way in and looked around for an intruder.

The only person I found was Rose, who was gripping her sheets tightly and screaming in complete terror. She was having a nightmare.

I tucked my gun into the back of my sweats and rushed over to the sleeping girl, trying to get her to wake up.

"Rose, wake up, it's just a dream," I said softly near her ear, panic rising inside of me. Her eyes were clamped shut and tears were leaking out of the corner of her eyes. I noticed that she wasn't even completely settled into the bed and seemed like she may have accidently fallen asleep in this position. My earlier suspicions came true, and I was positive she definitely hadn't been sleeping.

"Rose, wake up," I was contemplating reaching out to touch her, but I didn't want her to be more terrified incase she did wake up. Her screams died down, but she continued to whimper, breaking my heart into millions of pieces.

My hand hovered over her and I finally decided that a little comfort couldn't hurt. I reached down and gently ran my hand through her hair. The touched seemed to calm her down so I became a bit bold and ran my fingers through the soft and silky mane. Her whimpers died down, until her breathing evened out and she settled into a peaceful slumber.

I kept up with my ministrations for a few minutes and told myself that it was more for her benefit, and not because her hair felt like a silky waterfall slipping between my fingers.

I reluctantly pulled my hand away once I noticed she had completely calmed down and went to leave. As I reached the door, her whimpering started again.

I couldn't leave her like this. I quickly went to my room and grabbed the book on my nightstand and went back to Rose's room. I pulled a chair up to her bed, just has her whimpering begun to increase.

As soon as my fingers met her scalp, she relaxed completely into my touch and fell back to sleep. I used my free hand to pull the covers over her body so she was more comfortable.

Leaning back in my chair, I kept one hand running through Rose's hair, while my other opened up to the page of my book and began to read.

 ** _Rose's POV_**

Waking up, I was overcome with a feeling of content. I hadn't felt this well rested since before everything had happened. The usual stinging in my eyes from lack of sleep had completely disappeared and I let a sigh of relief pass through my lips.

I turned my head slightly and that's when I felt a hand that I hadn't sensed earlier fall from the back of my head.

I bolted up and turned my head so quickly, I'm shocked I didn't snap my neck. My frantic eyes fell on a sleeping Dimitri, who looked way too large and uncomfortable in the chair he was currently slumped over in. My mouth fell open as I regarded him carefully. He had a book opened on his lap, and the left hand that was on my head was now resting on my pillow.

He looked so peaceful sleeping, that I felt bad disturbing him. I was overcome with how devastatingly handsome he looked, sporting a slight stubble on his chin. His looks were the first thing I noticed when I had met him a few days ago. A piece of his shoulder length hair had fallen onto his face, and my hand was itching to reach out and tuck it back behind his ear.

I quickly pushed the thought away. No way would I ever let another man come near me again.

I hadn't slept since I moved here. Every time I closed my eyes, images of Nathan invading my body and beating me until I passed out littered my brain. It had been close to three days since I had slept, and I guess my body was overcome with exhaustion without me even realizing it.

I moved a little further back on my bed and the mattress squeaked underneath me, making Dimitri stir in his sleep. He grumbled something incoherent, before his chocolate, brown eyes opened and met mine.

He looked confused for a few seconds before suddenly realizing where he was.

Dimitri sat up quickly, and looked slightly embarrassed to be caught in such a vulnerable position.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Rose, how long have you been up?"

"Just a few minutes. Why are you in here?" I asked, not rudely. For him to sleep so uncomfortably, he must have had a good reason to be in my room.

"Oh, I um heard you screaming last night. I tried calling your name to wake you up, but you didn't." He suddenly looked away, not answering my question and telling me exactly why he was in here. I waited a moment for him to continue and he did. "I played with your hair and it seemed to calm you down. I tried stopping, but you started to get upset again. I guessed I must have fallen asleep without even realizing it." His confession seemed to embarrass him, as a slight tinge of pink coated his cheeks.

I was momentarily speechless. One, I couldn't believe that a touch from another human being, let alone a man, had calmed me down, enough for me to have the best night sleep I've had in the past 8 months; and two, I couldn't believe Dimitri, a man who was relatively still a stranger to me, had stayed with me all night to give me comfort.

He mistook my silence for something it wasn't and started speaking again, "Rose I'm sor-"

"Thank you," I cut him off. His right eyebrow shot up in shock before he quickly recovered. "Thank you," I repeated again.

He gave me a small smile. "It was no problem at all, Rose. I'm just glad you were able to sleep for a bit. You seem a lot more rested."

I nodded and said, "I am, I haven't slept so well in months." I gave him a small smile, which he returned.

Feeling awkward with the silence, Dimitri got up and rolled his neck around a few times, trying to get the kinks out. His back probably ached like a bitch from sleeping in a chair all night, but he didn't show it.

"I'm going to fit in a run before breakfast, and then I need to head to work. Do you want to join me downstairs in a about an hour and we can eat together?" He asked. I hadn't eaten with him once since I've gotten here, even though he stopped by my room before and after every meal to try to get me to eat something. I usually waited until after he left when the hunger felt so strong that I was forced to eat something to appease my grumbling stomach. After my promise to him in the kitchen and seeing how he stayed with me all night, I just couldn't deny him again.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

I used the only shower in the apartment, while Dimitri went on his run. Being the man he was, he barely had 5 items in the bathroom compared to my 12. I tried to keep my things organized and away from his, because he seemed like a neat freak. Nothing was out of place, and every time I walked into the kitchen or living room, the area would be completely spotless. Since I was a guest in his house, I didn't want to annoy him by being a slob and tried to make sure I cleaned up after myself.

I quickly showered and threw on a St. Vlad's hoodie and a pair of black tights. It was the first few day of December, so I was constantly cold.

I had promised my parents that I would go back to school once winter break was over. This gave me a little bit of time to prepare for the stares and gossip I would have to endure. I had received all of the work I had missed, and was almost completely caught up on all of the assignments. Schoolwork never held any interest for me before, but I had nothing else to do these past 3 months so it was better than doing nothing.

Wrapping my arms around my small frame, I wondered how Dimitri could run in this cold weather. Winter in Pennsylvania was brutal and there was a fresh coat of snow outside. He did have a slight Russian accent, so I wondered if he was just used to the cold temperature, seeing as it must be a lot colder there than it was here. It was surprising that he chose to run, despite having an uncomfortable nights sleep. I had noticed that Dimitri looked incredibly fit. His t-shirt could barely contain his bulging biceps. He had the perfect amount of muscle. He wasn't overly bulky like a body builder, but he definitely seemed lean and cut.

I needed to start working out again. My once prominent curves that I kept tight and toned through dancing had all but left me in the past months. I hadn't been eating or sleeping since I had been back. And my time with Nathan…

I shook my head, not letting my mind wander off to my time in that hellhole, especially since I was feeling better than I had in ages. I wouldn't let those thoughts ruin my morning.

I went into the kitchen and turned on Dimitri's coffee pot. I took out ingredients for breakfast and figured I could make myself useful by helping out around the house.

I had just finished whipping an egg, with some peppers and onions, when Dimitri walked in. He seemed surprised to see me standing there, preparing food.

"Rose, you didn't have to do this. I could've made breakfast," he said, coming over to me and peeking at what I was making.

"I don't mind. Plus, I figured you do so much as is. The least I could do was make us something to eat." Before he could protest, I spoke again. "The coffee should be ready. Why don't you grab a cup and sit down. The food will be ready in a minute." He gave me a grateful smile and grabbed a cup of coffee, before sitting down to the right of me at the kitchen island.

He had walked in here straight after his run. His hair was tied to the back of his neck, and despite the freezing cold, he had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead that he wiped using the bottom of his hoodie. As he lifted it up, I caught a glimpse of the hard muscle that lay beneath. I quickly averted my eyes before he caught me ogling him and turned my attention back to the food.

A minute later, I put down a large plate of scrambled eggs, a few pieces of toast, homemade hash browns, and butter and jam onto the island. Dimitri seemed pleasantly surprised at the large breakfast spread. He was a large man and I figured he had an appetite to match. We both settled into a comfortable silence and dug into our food.

I forced my self to eat more than the few bites, despite becoming used to eating the bare minimum.

There was something that I had been itching to ask Dimitri ever since he went to workout, but I didn't know how to approach the subject.

I guess he noticed that I kept taking nervous glances at him, because he asked me what was wrong.

"Um, actually there was something I wanted to ask you." He looked at me expectantly and waited for me to continue. "My dad had mentioned that you knew how to fight, considering your job and all. If it wasn't too much trouble, I was hoping that could maybe teach me how to fight." I quickly blurted out.

He didn't answer straight away as he contemplated what I asked him. "You want me to teach you how to defend yourself?"

"Yes. I just don't want to have to rely on someone else to protect me. I want to be able to protect myself." After what I asked Dimitri last night, about promising not to sacrifice himself for me, I was dead set on learning how to defend myself. I never wanted to feel weak or scared again. If Nathan, or any other creep came near me, I wanted to be prepared.

"Okay," he said, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"Okay?"

"Okay, I'll teach you how to fight. I think it's very brave of you to want to be able to defend yourself. When would you like to start?"

"How about today?"

In the next two weeks, Dimitri and I had fallen into a comfortable routine. Every morning, I would accompany him on his run, and afterwards, he would teach me different techniques of defending myself. So far, he had taught me how to properly punch different parts of an attackers body using both my right and left hand. He was always careful not to touch me, even when teaching me new moves, and I appreciated it greatly.

After our workout, we helped each other out by making breakfast. He would go to work and I would call my parents over to hang out or complete more of my schoolwork.

More nights than one, I would wake up to find Dimitri in my room, asleep in his chair with his left hand resting on my head. I should have been disgusted by his touch, I should have forced his hand away the moment I woke up, but each time I saw him in my room, I became more and more comfortable with Dimitri's presence.

Every night, I had noticed I was becoming more and more eager for Dimitri to walk through the front door. Speaking with him and just being around him filled me with a sense of calm that I never thought I would get back.

A few nights later, I had woken up in a cold sweat from a nightmare. Images of my time with him always jumbled up together and invaded my sleep. I must have woken up before screaming, because my room was completely empty. I looked longingly at the chair that was usually occupied by Dimitri, and wished that he were here. Just his presence was enough to relax me.

I tried for a whole hour to try and go back to sleep, because I really was exhausted, but every time I closed my eyes, I could see Nathan's cold, blue eyes staring down at me.

Struggling with what to do next, I finally threw the covers off my body and tiptoed to Dimitri's room. I stood outside wondering if I should knock or not. The poor man had been getting less sleep than I had, considering he spent so many nights on the chair by my bed. I didn't want to disturb him, but I was too scared to be alone right now. With that in mind, I softly knocked on his door.

I waited two seconds, before I heard noise coming from the bedroom. A moment later, a shirtless and slightly disheveled Dimitri opened the door.

I was stunned, looking at the beautiful piece of specimen standing in front of me. Dimitri looked like a Greek god. He had a strong and toned chest, which was slightly peppered with dark hair. His arms looked even more powerful since they were completely bare. I could have stared at him all night if he hadn't spoken and taken my attention away from his naked chest.

"Rose, is everything all right?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

"I can't sleep," I said quietly, and looked down at my feet.

"Do you want me to come sit with you until you fall asleep."

I looked up at him and shook my head. "No, I don't want you to have to ruin your sleep again, because of me." Dimitri considered this and looked back at his bed. He seemed to be contemplating what to say next.

"Do you want to sleep in here? I promise I won't touch you."

I thought about his offer and wondered if I should take it. I trusted Dimitri enough to know that he wouldn't touch me if I didn't want him to. And I really didn't think I would be able to sleep if he wasn't around me. I also didn't want that to be a reason for him to give up the comfort of his room for a chair.

"If you don't mind," I trailed off.

"Not at all, make your self comfortable." I carefully made my way to the side of the bed that seemed unoccupied by Dimitri while he put a shirt and joined me on the opposite side of the bed.

His room was simple, with a matching dressing table sitting opposite the bed. He had a bookshelf on the right side of his room that was filled with the Western novels he always seemed to be reading.

Dimitri came to bed and laid down facing me and I was grateful to see he had left a considerable amount of distance between us.

I shyly looked away from his intense gaze, suddenly feeling self conscious in front of Dimitri. He was the last person I wanted to think I was weak so I felt like explaining myself.

"I had a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked. I looked up at him and saw nothing but genuine concern for me. Did I want to talk about my nightmare? I knew Dimitri knew what happened to me, but I didn't know if I was ready to share details of my time in that prison. My parents, the police, and even the lawyer only knew the key parts of my suffering. They didn't know the day-to-day abuse I faced at the hands of Nathan. No one knew how every day, he would handcuff my hands tightly, roughly penetrating my body until I was a pile of tears and blood. No one knew how he would beat me until I passed out every time guests were coming over so he could shove my unconscious body in that tight cabinet. No one knew how he had killed numerous people in front of my very eyes because they had gotten too close to 'his wife.'

Dimitri had already helped me tremendously. I was starting to feel a lot braver due to our training sessions. He never treated me with kid gloves, and when he spoke to me, I felt like I was his equal. I was talking and smiling more, and my parents seemed ecstatic to see a parts of the old me coming back to life.

I now understood why everyone kept pushing me to see a therapist right after I was found. Maybe talking about my suffering would be cathartic. At the time, it seemed too soon to be re-living my abuse. And looking at Dimitri now, I felt like I could speak more easily to him than any therapist out there.

"Yeah, I do. I just don't know where to start."

His smooth and accented voice felt like a blanket of warmth as he responded back to me. "Why don't you start with what your was dream about?"

"It was about Nathan, just like it always is." I saw a Dimitri clench his jaw, but he didn't interrupt me. He waited patiently for me to continue. "The nightmare always starts off with me telling my parents goodnight. But as soon as I open my bedroom door, I'm back at that prison. Before I have a chance to escape, he always shows up and grabs me." I clench my eyes shut, reliving the dream I had just an hour ago. It seemed so real in my mind. I laughed bitterly in my head, that's because it had been real. I open my eyes again and see Dimitri staring at me. He wasn't looking at me with pity, but the look he was giving me made me continue speaking.

"He, he would always tie my hands up, before having his way with me." Without even realizing it, I began to rub my wrists.

"You don't have to tell me the rest if you don't want to," he said, probably trying to spare me the mental pain.

"No it's okay, I want to tell you. It's like I need to say it out loud." My memories were eating me up inside and I needed to let them out.

"After the first month of being there, I stopped struggling. He never listened to my pleas to let me go and I had lost hope of anyone ever finding me. Every time he came to me, I would close my eyes and force my mind out of my body. I would detach myself from it any time he touched me and make my thoughts go to a time where I was happy, one where I was with my parents." It wasn't until Dimitri's hand reached out and ran through my hair that I realized I was crying. I gave him a small smile to tell him I appreciated the gesture and continued.

"The police told me I was found in a cabinet. Nathan liked to hit me. I refused to speak to him and he always beat me for it, though my attitude towards him never changed. Any time he had guests or clients coming over, he would hit me until I passed out from the pain and then shove me inside of that cabinet. He said he didn't want people to see me and start asking questions." I swiped at my eyes, as Dimitri continued to soothe me by running his hand through my hair. His eyes had taken on a stormy look and he seemed to be getting angry the more I spoke. When he noticed I was staring at him, he softened his eyes considerably.

"After I was found and came back home, I spent so much time in the shower, scrubbing my skin till it turned red. But it's like no matter how hard I tried, I can never get the feel of his clammy, disgusting hands off of my body. I feel so dirty Dimitri." I feel like part of the reason I wouldn't let my parents touch me after I came back home was because I was disgusted with myself. I felt like my body had been contaminated enough by that sick fuck and didn't want anyone else doing any more damage on my already used and abused body.

"No Rose, no. You're so good and pure, what he did to you has only made you stronger." He spoke strongly and I noticed he had moved a little closer to me, and I didn't mind.

"I don't feel that way Dimitri. I let him take me once, who's to say I'll be strong enough to fight it if it happens a second time." I whispered, as a continuous stream of tears fell from my eyes.

"It won't happen a second time. I won't let it. No harm will ever come to you again, do you hear me? I won't allow it." The more he spoke, the closer he got until I could feel his breath against my face.

I wiped at my eyes and tried to stop the tears from coming, but they wouldn't. Speaking about Nathan, even as briefly as I had, had opened up a stream of bad memories that I tried so hard to keep locked up. But lying here, next to Dimitri, I finally felt as if I could let go of some of the suffering I carried with me and share it with another human being. And I knew that it had more to do with the person I was sharing it with, than anything else. My parents had suffered enough because of me so sharing this information with them was out of the question. I felt out of touch with my friends and felt like they wouldn't be able to understand the things I had went through. I didn't think speaking with a therapist would help either, because a stranger wouldn't be able to give me the comfort that I needed.

That left me with Dimitri. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had met someone I could share my pain with. Someone who could make me stronger and lend me their strength when I needed it.

I looked up into Dimitri's eyes and saw nothing but care and concern for me. I moved my body a little closer to him. His hand that was in my hair, slowly and tentatively moved towards my face. When he noticed that I wasn't flinching or moving myself away, he brushed the pad of his thumb against my cheeks and wiped my tears away. I closed my eyes as Dimitri's large hand cupped the side of my face. He ran a soothing hand from my cheek, through my hair, and back again. His touch should have been making me run fast and far away from him.

Instead, I relaxed myself into his touch. After a few moments, I opened my eyes and found him looking at with such an intense gaze, that I couldn't help but move closer until our head was resting on the same pillow.  
The longer he played with my hair, the more comfortable I became. Neither of us looked away from the other. He must have noticed how relaxed I had become being so close to him, so he moved his hand to the back of my neck and pulled my body towards his until my head laid directly on his chest and my arms wrapped around his strong frame. I could feel his heart beating beneath my cheek and closed my eyes to the soothing, rhythmic beat. Dimitri's distinct scent flooded my senses and I breathed in deep. His left hand ran soothing circles on my back and his right hand continued to run through my hair.

I buried myself deeper into Dimitri's arms, allowing my self the comfort of another human being that I didn't realize I needed.


	5. Chapter 5

**I felt so bad for updating so late that I made this chapter extra long. There are some dark and heavy scenes in this chapter as well so don't read it if you are not comfortable.**

 **I really hope you guys like the chapter, and please let me know what you think! I love reading every review I get.**

 **All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

Waking up in the middle of the night to the feeling of Rose cuddled into my arms was something I couldn't describe.

My solitude reflected into every aspect of my life. I had a few girlfriends before and could admit that I had some meaningless hookups in the past few years.

But I never enjoyed the affection that usually followed sex. I needed my space when I slept and felt suffocated with another human on me while I was trying to sleep.

With Rose though, I felt like cuddling with her in my arms was the most natural and normal thing in the world.

When I pulled her into my arms last night, I was pleased to see how instantly she molded herself to my body.

Her confession last night had left me shook and upset. The more she spoke, the more my need to kill Nathan increased. I hadn't felt this type of hatred and rage towards another human being since Randall. I tried to keep my anger in check, but I think she still noticed.

I was surprised she told me as much as she had. I was glad though. I knew without a doubt that she was one of the strongest people I had ever met, but I was hoping that by speaking about it, that it had hopefully gave her a sense of peace and relief. I would take all of her pain if I could.

Looking down at the sleeping girl on top of me, I couldn't help but nuzzle my nose into her hair, and inhale. I definitely had an obsession with her hair and I could admit it to myself. Her scent was absolutely intoxicating. Sometime during the night, she had all but moved on top of my body. Her breathing was light and even, and I could feel it slightly tickling my neck.

Her soft and small body felt amazing against my own. I tried to keep my natural male reaction to the feel of her away. I needed to remind myself that her parents had trusted me with her care and I did not want to break that trust. Not to mention, she was only 17. I could just write this off as a friend comforting another friend.

Tightening my arms around her, I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later to the feeling of Rose stirring on top of me. I watched as she moved her head off of my chest and sat up.

The look of confusion on her face as she tried to get a grip on her surroundings was utterly adorable.

Her hair looked wild and she tried, and failed, to tame the mane on her head.

She leaned back slightly and I suddenly became aware of our position.

When Rose sat up, her body straddled mine. I could feel her butt resting directly on my groin while her hands that were holding her up were placed on my lower stomach.

I internally groaned and tried to conjure up images that would be so disgusting that they would make my sudden arousal for the girl on top of me to lessen.

Rose seemed to finally notice where and whom she was on and her eyes widened when she saw me below her. She quickly scrambled off and sat by my legs while a light blush covered her cheeks.

"Good morning," she said shyly, looking down at her lap.

"Good morning. Did you sleep okay?" I asked sitting up.

"Yeah, I really did. Thank you for letting me sleep here last night."

"It was no problem Rose. You're more than welcome to sleep here every night if you need to."

"I just feel bad," she said quietly.

"Why?"

"I just feel like I've taken over your whole life. Your house, your time, and now your bed," she said gesturing to room around her.

"I don't mind Rose, trust me." I said and she gave me a smile in return.

"Well I'll go and get dressed and then we can start our workout," she said, getting up.

I nodded, "Sounds good, I'll meet you downstairs in 15 minutes."

After running, we moved onto fighting techniques. She had gained a few pounds since I had first met her, though it was mostly muscle, but I was still glad. She was beginning to look a lot healthier and more like the girl in her school picture.

Rose stood in front of a punching bag and I was telling her how I wanted her to aim her punches. Everything was good, but her form was off.

"Don't twist your body into. If you move to much with the punch, then you'll tire yourself out quickly."

She tried again but still didn't quite get what I was trying to say. Without thinking about it, I put my hand on her stomach and spoke, "Keep this tight, and you'll be less prone to move completely into the punch."

Rose didn't move and I noticed that my hand was still splayed across her abdomen. She looked at me wide-eyed and I quickly removed my hand.

"Sorry, I uh didn't mean to touch you," I moved a few steps back, suddenly feeling like shit for invading her personal space like that.

"No it's okay," she put her hands up to show me she was fine, "I don't mind," she finished quietly. She turned around and showed me the move again, following the tip I gave her to keep her core tight. We practiced a little more before calling it a day. I went upstairs to shower and get ready for work while Rose prepared breakfast.

Joining her at the kitchen island, I asked her a question that had been nagging me since she began working out with me.

"Can I ask you something?"

She looked up at me, chewing on a piece of toast and nodded.

"Why haven't you started dancing, again? I mean you've been working out with me for a while now, but I haven't seen you get back into dancing." Running, sparring, and fighting were all my go-to workouts and something that bought me relief and a sense of normalcy, just as I assumed dancing would be for Rose. I thought that once she started working out with me, she would've started dancing too but I had seen no sign of it so far.

She looked down at her plate and her eyebrows scrunched together as she contemplated my question. When she didn't immediately answer, I felt like I shouldn't have said anything at all. Maybe it was something she didn't want to talk about. I was just to tell her to forget I even asked, but she finally spoke.

"I guess it's harder for me to go back to the old me then I thought it would be."

I tilted my head as I thought about what she meant. Luckily, she clarified. "At first, I thought it would be best if I went back to who I was before everything happened. But as much as I try, I know that's never going to happen, because I'm not the same person I was back then. Me running with you and learning how to fight, this is new for me. It doesn't remind me of my past so much so that's why it was easy to get into. I don't know, it's like I want to get parts of the old me back, but I just don't know how to do it, because all it does is remind me of what happened." She shook her head, getting slightly frustrated and I noticed some hair got loose from her ponytail. I had to clench my hand tight to stop myself from reaching over and tucking it behind her ear. Lucky for me, she did it herself.

"I get what you mean."

She seemed surprised, "you do?"

I nodded, "It's like starting over, redoing a part of your life so you can do all you can to forget the past." Her eyes widened slightly as she thought about what I said.

"That's exactly it."

We sat in silence for a few moments before she spoke again.

"I do miss it though. I've thinking more and more about starting, but every time I think I'm ready, I chicken out. Plus, I'll be going back to school soon and I need to find some way to get back into it."

"What kind of dance did you do?" I didn't know anything about dancing, but I wanted her to keep talking about it. Maybe if she talked about it enough, it would make her want to start it up again.

"I'm really into a mix of modern and hip-hop. My dance team and I would create choreography for any new or popular song. Though my favorite is belly dancing, but that I do more on my personal time."

My head shot up and without even trying, my mind shifted to something dirty as I pictured Rose in an exotic number, moving her hips to a sensual beat. She kept talking, not noticing the effect her words were having on me.

"I guess I got into it since it's a common dance in Turkey. I even have a couple of belly dancing outfits that I got from Turkey, last time I went there with my parents."

I internally groaned, the image of Rose in one of those outfits not leaving my brain.

"Maybe I can show you one day," she said innocently, smiling at me.

I tried to quell the inappropriate thoughts that were running through my mind. I couldn't be thinking like this.

"Yeah, I'd like that," I said, noticing how husky my voice sounded only after I finished my sentence. Rose noticed too and she slowly looked me over, probably wondering where the sudden change in my demeanor came from.

I cleared my throat and got up, "I should get going. I'll see you later." She only nodded and continued to look at me in slight confusion.

I cursed myself all the way to work, and still for the life of me, could not get the image of Rose looking like a belly dancer out of my mind.

 **Rose POV**

At first, I would actually try to go to sleep, but still wake up, sweating and terrified, needing the comfort only Dimitri could provide me.

Only a few days after that began, I noticed that I would say goodnight to Dimitri, lounge in my bed for an hour or so and then make my way over to his room.

Every night, I would knock and he would answer. Every night, I would reveal a bit more of my past to Dimitri, whether it was things about Nathan or my life before all of that happened. And every night, I would fall back into his arms and fall asleep.

I could feel a shift happening in our relationship. There were little touches throughout the day that were small and innocent, but I couldn't help but think about it all day after it happened. For example, that day when Dimitri demonstrated how I should properly punch by placing a hand on my stomach.

It was something so small and lasted only a few seconds, but I felt the heat of where his hand had been long after he had left for work.

I found myself looking forward to the brush of his arm against mine, or his strong hands adjusting my fighting stance to the correct form to his liking.

I just couldn't understand how or why I was feeling this way. I should've been repulsed by the touch of any man, especially one that I had only known for a few weeks.

I shouldn't be thinking so deeply into how gentle his touch felt against my skin, despite being quite literally the strongest man I had ever met. I shouldn't be thinking about how deliciously feminine it made me feel when I woke up on his chest every morning. And I sure as hell shouldn't be thinking about the look Dimitri gave me when I told him I would dance for him one day.

I meant it casually, wanting to show him how I dance just like he showed me how to fight. It wasn't until after I said it did I wonder if I came off as inappropriate.

Still, imagining myself dancing in front of Dimitri and Dimitri alone instantly made my skin flush.

I had to stop thinking like this. He was hired to protect me, nothing more.

Even though we had developed a friendship along the way, that was as far as it would go.

I couldn't drag Dimitri further into the mess that was my life.

A week before school started, Dimitri and I went a little off from our normal routine. After dinner, I suggested we put in a movie, because Dimitri had told me he had off the next day from work.

"What do you want to watch?" He asked, scrolling through the movie options on Netflix.

"Anything but a western," I said, to which he lightly chuckled. Dimitri had a serious cowboy obsession and as much as I wanted to spend time with him, I don't think I could sit through an old western film.

"Noted," he said. We decided to put on "Gone Girl" after Dimitri had told me he had never seen it, but was interested in watching it. It was a mystery/thriller about a woman who exacts revenge on her cheating husband by going missing and placing the blame on her husband.

I silently gave thanks to whoever was in the sky for making me sit on a different couch then Dimitri, because I had forgotten there were sex scenes in the movie. As close as Dimitri and I had gotten, it was still a bit awkward watching that with him.

After the movie was over, I glanced at the clock and saw it was 11:52 p.m. Almost time.

I turned to Dimitri and asked him what he thought of the movie.

"Remind me never to cheat on a woman," he said visibly shaking and causing me to laugh. Hearing the sound come from my mouth still seemed so foreign and odd to me. I didn't think I would be laughing and smiling so soon after everything had happened. And with Dimitri, I was doing it a lot more than I ever thought I would.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back," I said, suddenly giddy. Dimitri gave me a questioning glance, but nodded anyway.

I opened up the oven where I had stashed the cupcakes hours ago and took one out. I dug around for a candle and luckily found one, lighting it and then holding it behind me. I had to be careful not to let my long hair get anywhere near it or that would cause me some serious damage. Looking at the clock, I knew I could go back into the living room.

I walked in with a big smile on my face. Dimitri was also smiling looking at my goofy grin, but he still seemed confused.

Walking up to where he was sitting on the couch, I produced the cupcake that I had been hiding behind my back.

"Happy birthday Dimitri," I said softly.

Dimitri looked momentarily speechless as he looked wide-eyed from me to the cupcake that I held in front of his face.

"How did you know?"

I slightly shrugged and answered. "When my dad had showed your file, trying to convince me get someone to guard me, I remembered the birthday that was listed on it."

He looked at me again and gave me such a breathtaking smile that a small gasp slipped from my lips. How could someone be so handsome without even trying?

He looked at the cupcake, closed his eyes, and blew out the candle.

"Thank you Roza," he said softly, looking at me.

"Roza?"

Dimitri looked slightly embarrassed and replied, "It's your name in Russian."

"I like it," I said and I did. It made me feel warm inside knowing that Dimitri had a nickname that was reserved and used solely by him. It made me feel special.

He patted the spot next to him.

"Here take this, and I'll get another cupcake," I said, already turning around. I felt Dimitri's strong hand gently grip my wrist, forcing me to turn around once again.

"Share this with me, then you can get another one if you'd like."

I couldn't say no to the birthday boy so I sat down next to him. I took the candle out and stuck it in my mouth to lick the icing off.

"I hope you like chocolate," I said, looking up at Dimitri again, but he was already staring at me. More correctly, he was looking directly at my mouth where I had just sucked the icing off.

"What?" I asked quietly, Dimitri's gaze doing things to me that I couldn't quite explain.

He slightly shook his head, some of his beautiful brown hair getting loose from being tied behind his neck. "Nothing, and yes, yes I do love chocolate."

Between the two of us, we ate another 3 cupcakes and then called it a night.

I went to my room as Dimitri went to his, both of us knowing full well that I would be joining him in his bed soon.

I didn't even bother knocking and strode in a half an hour later. Dimitri looked up from his spot on the bed, and moved the blanket up, to make room for me. I momentarily froze when I noticed that Dimitri didn't have a shirt on. It was his room, his bed, and I was the one invading his personal space so I didn't say anything about it. I wordlessly got in and instantly molded myself to his body.

I was a bit more shy getting close to him tonight considering his chest was completely bare. His body was marvelous, sculpted and chiseled to absolute perfection. I put my head against his shoulder and lightly ran my fingertips against his hip, causing him to slightly shiver due to my touch.

"Do you want me to put a shirt on Rose?"

"No, I don't mind," I said quietly, and I truly didn't.

I should've felt shameful for ogling Dimitri the way I was, but I couldn't help myself. Though his body was perfect, did not mean it was unflawed.

I saw a few scars littering his chest, which caught my attention. I looked at a long one that ran across his left pectoral. It began a few centimeters below his shoulder, cutting diagonally and stopping two inches past his nipple. I lightly ran my finger over the scar and looked up at Dimitri.

He was looking at me with a heated gaze that made my breath slightly hitch.

"Where is this from?" I asked quietly, running my finger back and forth across the jagged skin, grazing his nipple each time I did.

"A big-time dealer in the city took too many hits of his own supply before my team and I apprehended him. He had gone on a knife-wielding spree, so off his rocket that most of the people he was attacking were his own men. This is what I got trying to get the knife away from him." Dimitri and I were alone in the room, but for some reason, we couldn't help but speak so quietly, that we were almost whispering.

My hand travelled to another scar that was on his right hip, on the side where I was laying. It was smaller than the one on his pectoral, about three inches long. It ran from his right hip to the waistband of his sweats. His 'V', which was slightly peeking out from his low sweatpants, had the scar running through it. Mindful of the fact that I was so close to Dimitri's manhood, I ran my finger over the scar and looked up at Dimitri again.

"And this one?"

"I got this when I was a teenager. My best friend Ivan and I decided it was smart to race on our bikes when it was snowing out. This is what I got when I braked too hard and flew into a broken fence." I tried to imagine a teenage Dimitri, breaking the rules and doing something childish like that. It was hard to picture, because he seemed like such a mature, rule follower.

My eyes skimmed over his face, and I ran my finger over a scar less than an inch long that cut across his right eyebrow.

His eyes suddenly hardened and I felt like this scar must have held some darker memories for Dimitri than the others had. He lightly grasped my hand, rubbing his fingers over mine and moved it back onto his chest.

"What happened with that one?" I asked, intrigued.

He looked at me for a few seconds, wondering if he should tell me or not.

"I got that one from my father." My eyebrows rose at Dimitri's admission. He had spoken lovingly of his family to me, but had never mentioned his father before.

"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. I don't mean to pry."

"I don't mind, I just haven't spoken about this to many people before." I nodded, completely understanding how hard it could be to share a dark part of your life with another human being.

"My father had been abusive to my mother throughout most of their marriage. After my second sister, Sonya was born, he turned to drugs and alcohol and soon became addicted to the high. The high never lasted though and my mother would face the backlash of it. My mom always did her best to shield us from it, always keeping quiet during and after the abuse. But we had eyes, we knew what was happening."

He closed his eyes to the memories and I began to run my hand lightly across his chest, trying to bring him some sort of comfort. He opened his eyes and gave me a small sad smile, showing me he appreciated the gesture and continued on with his story.

"One night when I was thirteen, the fighting got really bad. He had used up all of his money on drugs and took the anger of it out on my mother. I was sitting with my sisters in their room, waiting for the fighting to end. But then I heard my mother scream. Rose, all those years she dealt with abuse, and she never made a sound. But that night was the first time I actually heard her scream out from the pain. It's like something in me snapped. I ran downstairs to see my father hunched over my mother, kicking her and I lost it. Even at that age, I was taller than him and stronger, too. I beat him and kicked him out of the house, telling him that if he ever came back, I wouldn't spare his life a second time. This scar is from the one and only hit he got on me."

I was stunned into silence at Dimitri's story. He seemed like such a peaceful and content individual that it broke my heart to think he and his family went through a pain like that at such a young age.

"I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. Your family is really lucky to have had you there to protect them like you did."

He lightly scoffed and shook his head. "I beat my father, I would hardly consider that to be something I should be proud of."

"It's not the act itself, but the impact behind it. You saved your mother, just like you saved me." To this, he looked over at me again. I ran my hand over his jaw, and placed my hand over his left cheek. "You're my hero," I said, slightly embarrassed. It sounded cliché, but it was true. I hated the whole narrative of a damsel in distress that needed to be saved by her prince charming. Dimitri was more than that though. He saved his mother, and he saved me, but along the way, he had taught me ways I could be stronger on my own. And for that, I would forever be grateful.

Dimitri didn't respond, and instead moved his face slightly and placed a soft kiss on the palm of my hand. I kept it there for a few more moments, and then placed it over his chest again.

"That's why you chose the field that you did? You didn't want any other family going through what yours did because of drugs." I stated and Dimitri looked at me surprised.

"Yeah, that's exactly why."

"Did you ever feel self-conscious about your scars?" I asked curiously.

"Not even once. They're physical reminders of what I've been through. Each scar has turned me into a smarter and stronger individual. Considering the profession I chose, I know I might receive some more before my time here on earth is over."

I nodded, his words making more sense to me.

A few more moments went by, and I contemplated my next words. The reason I had even brought attention to his scars went beyond just curiosity.

"I have some, too," I finally whispered and Dimitri looked at me slightly confused.

"Scars," I clarified, "I have scars, too. But its opposite for me, I don't like having them as a reminder of what I've been through. If anything, I feel ugly and disgusting just looking at them," I said, as tears filled my eyes. I hated that I sounded so vain. I should be happy that I was alive and away from that monster, but every time I stripped and looked at my naked body, I was reminded of all of the horrible things Nathan had done to me.

"It's also the reason I'm so hesitant to start dancing again. A lot of times, the girls and I practice the routines in tank tops, shorts, or even our sports bra. I can barely look at the scars, letting alone think about having a whole group of people looking at me like I'm some freak." I sniffled and swiped my hand across my eyes to wipe away the few tears that had escaped.

Dimitri slightly shifted so I was lying on my back and half his body hovered over mine.

"Don't say that Rose, don't you dare say that. You are beautiful." He said, with such conviction that it seemed like he truly believed the words he was saying.

Still I scoffed, ad shook my head, "Hardly, there was a time that I could have believed you, but not anymore."

"Look at yourself through my eyes. You're so beautiful, it hurts me," he whispered. I stared at Dimitri and couldn't help the wave of heat that spread through my body and left me breathless.

"You wouldn't think that if you saw them, Dimitri."

"Show me then." Shocked, I looked at him wondered if he was serious.

"What?"

"Show me your scars. You're worried about others seeing them, because you haven't accepted them for what they are- a reminder that you've been through hell and survived. So show me your scars so I can show you how beautiful and strong you really are."

The last time I had seen Dimitri looked so stern and sure about his words was when he convinced me I wasn't weak, because of what I had went through. That was also the first night I had spent in his bed. At the time, he had done such a good job at convincing me that I was strong that I began to somewhat believe it myself.

Looking at him now, I wondered if this was another step towards my recovery I needed; a healing process that I could only go through with Dimitri.

I suddenly remembered that I was completely nude underneath my sweatshirt, but for some reason, imagining Dimitri seeing me naked wasn't something that repulsed me. It made me nervous, yes, but there was another feeling behind it that I didn't think I was ready to admit to myself yet.

Making up my mind, I finally replied, "Okay."

I sat up, causing Dimitri to sit up and move over, as well. With shaking hands, I quickly rid myself of the sweatshirt and threw it to the side. I sat up, but looked down at my lap, too afraid to see the look of disgust that must be on Dimitri's face.

I saw Dimitri's hand come close to my chest and peeked up at him through my lashes.

I gasped slightly. Dimitri was looking at me with a heated gaze, not a trace of disgust or discomfort displayed on his face.

Just like I had done, Dimitri placed his finger on the first scar he could find.

"What happened here?" He was referring to an inch long scar below the swell of my right breast. The brush of Dimitri's finger caused goose bumps to erupt on my skin and my nipples to pucker up.

There was no way Dimitri didn't notice the effect his touch had on my body. I blushed, but answered him anyway.

"Nathan was upset at me for cursing at him. He threw me down and smashed a glass right next to my body. One of the shards cut me right here." I was panting slightly, due to a mixture of my admission and because of my nudity.

His thumb ran over the scar for a few more moments, before he moved onto the next one. He chose a puncture-like wound on my left side.

"And here?"

"He pushed me into the wall, where a nail was sticking out from. It was pretty far out and went directly into my skin." Dimitri's jaw clenched tight and I saw the anger he always tried so hard to keep hidden trying to claw its way out.

He reached for my wrists and ran his rough fingertips along the marred skin.

"What about these?"

I gulped and answered, "That's from months of being tied up."

He ran over 5 other wounds that were identical. Two were on my left clavicle, one was directly in the enter of my breasts, and the remaining two were on either side of my hips, slightly peaking out from the sweatpants I had worn to bed.

Dimitri ran his fingers over the three that were visible. When he got to the one between my breasts, his whole hand brushed against it and I couldn't help but slightly arch into his touch. His hand felt like it belonged there, on my naked chest.

He looked into my eyes before pushing against my chest, causing me to lie back down. His hands moved to my hips, to the waistband of my sweats. He looked at me questioningly and I nodded my head. He moved the sweats down so the other two marks were completely visible. If he had moved it just four inches lower, then my womanhood would've been completely exposed to him.

He looked at the scars with sadness in his eyes. He didn't need to ask me what these scars were from, but I still told him.

"These are from his cigar." I clenched my eyes shut as tears leaked from my eyes. I couldn't take any more of this.

I grabbed the sweatshirt I had thrown off and tried to shield myself from my Dimitri's gaze.

"Oh no, Rose, don't hide yourself from me," he said as he took the sweatshirt from my hands and threw it behind him. He grabbed my hands and kissed them. "You had it all wrong Rose. You think this makes you ugly?" He shook his head as if he couldn't believe those words had come out of my mouth. "You're not less beautiful because of what was done to you. You're twice as breathtaking, because you survived."

Dimitri's words only caused more tears to fall from my eyes. He hovered over me, his long hair brushing against my chest.

My bare breasts rose and fell, as my breathing became heavy, and Dimitri took every inch of me in. He looked at me as if I was the only woman on this earth, like he was in awe of me.

Then he reached down and kissed each and every scar.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay I know I always make excuses to why I take so long to post but its Ramadan and thats the only reason I've been gone. It's also the reason I haven't done a chapter for 'A Phone Call Away', because that chapter is going to be mostly smut and it just feels wrong writing that while I'm supposed to be fasting. Anyway, please be patient with me. Ramadan will be over in a week and I promise to be more active with my updates. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All Characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

The night had been a turning point in Rose and Dimitri's relationship.

Dimitri couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been for Rose to expose herself like that to him. But he was so glad she did, because he never would have thought that a girl as beautiful as Rose would have such doubts about her skin and body.

He couldn't even hide the fact that seeing Rose half naked hadn't affected him physically. The sight of her bare breasts had hardened him to the point of pain. He had to take every ounce of self-control he had not to reach out and cup her full breasts when he had seen them. That wasn't the reason she had shown so much of herself to him.

She had done it for reassurance. She did it so she could try to get back to the things she loved, like being able to dance. Dimitri just hoped he did an okay of a job at pushing Rose forward to be more accepting of herself.

He was achingly thorough in kissing every scar that Nathan left on Rose's body. He made sure his eyes and words conveyed how beautiful he thought she was.

He wanted to do more. He wanted to do so much more. Dimitri ached to take each nipple that hardened by his touch into his mouth. He wanted to lower her sweatpants all the way and pleasure her in a way that she truly deserved.

He had to remind himself that wasn't why he had taken over as Rose's guardian. She was a 17 year old, whose parents trusted him to protect her.

Dimitri needed to keep reminding himself of the vow he made to the Mazur's. He just didn't know how him and Rose could go back to normal after tonight.

After Dimitri kissed Rose's marred skin, he cupped her face and kissed each tear that fell from her eyes away.

He kissed her cheeks, the closed lids of her eyes, and then her forehead.

Then he did what he did every night. He pulled Rose into his arms and went to sleep.

Waking up wrapped in each other's arms was different this morning than it had been before. They were both nude from the waist up. Dimitri could feel Rose's nipples brushing against his chest and couldn't even hide the fact that he was aroused. He was just hoping that she would pretend to ignore the bulge for both of their sake.

Rose couldn't make the blush go away being so exposed to Dimitri. It was one thing last night, considering it was pretty dark in the room, but now the sun was shining through the window and she was wishing Dimitri hadn't thrown her sweatshirt on the ground.

"Good morning," Dimitri said, as Rose put some distance between the two.

She pulled the blanket with her to cover her exposed chest from Dimitri's gaze.

"Morning," she whispered, shyly.

Dimitri could notice Rose's slight discomfort and grabbed his shirt from his dresser. He could have easily given Rose her own sweatshirt back, but he wanted to see her in his own shirt.

He handed it over to her and turned around to give her the privacy she needed to put it on.

Rose grabbed Dimitri's hand, bringing his attention back to her. She didn't let go, and instead held onto it with both hands.

"Thank you Dimitri, I cant tell you how much better I feel,"

He smiled in return and said, "I'm glad Rose. No matter what you need me for, I'll always be there for you," he replied sincerely.

Rose's eyes glazed over with unshed tears and instead of replying, she just gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand. He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"I'll go get started on your birthday breakfast," Rose said, releasing Dimitri's hand and getting up.

"You don't need to do that Rose."

"I want to," she said and walked out.

Dimitri spent the next 40 minutes getting ready for the day and talking to his family back home. He usually talked to them separately, but they all insisted on singing him happy birthday together. It warmed his heart and he could feel that today would be a good day.

"Do you have anything special planned for today?" Rose asked, trying to bring some normalcy back to their relationship.

"No, I was hoping to just spend the day at home with you." Rose's heart warmed up at Dimitri's words and she couldn't help but smile in his direction.

They ate the remainder of their breakfast in a comfortable silence.

As they were cleaning up the dishes, the doorbell rang.

Both looked at each other questioningly.

"Were you expecting your parents today?"

Rose shook her head. The doorbell rang 8 more times in a row and Dimitri groaned out loud. There was only one human being that was childish enough to do that.

Weary of what the man on the other side of the door could want, especially on the day of his birthday, Dimitri walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Adrian.

"Happy birthday!" He screamed before tackling Dimitri with a hug. Dimitri couldn't help but laugh at his cousin's antics. They were polar opposites, but Dimitri couldn't deny that Adrian was a great guy.

He peeked past Adrian's shoulder to see Ivan behind him.

"Happy birthday Dimka."

"Thanks man," he said, ushering the two men in.

Rose heard the commotion coming from the living room and went to go see what it was all about. She was greeted by the sight of three attractive men speaking to one another.

The first to notice her presence was the other brunette in the room. He had messy, but stylish hair and boyish good looks.

"Who do we have here?" He said, causing the other two heads to turn in her direction as well.

Dimitri immediately took a protective stance next to Rose. He knew Adrian and Ivan were harmless, but he didn't know how comfortable Rose was around other men.

"Hi," she said, giving them both a small wave. "I'm Rose."

"Rose, this is my cousin Adrian and my best friend Ivan."

Rose was polite in her greeting, but made sure to keep her distance incase one of the men decided to be overly chivalrous and do something like try to shake her hand. It was stupid really, considering she slept half naked last night with Dimitri, yet she still couldn't fathom a simple handshake from the opposite sex.

But that was the thing; she was okay with Dimitri. Hell, she was more than okay with him, but only him.

Ivan obviously knew about the living arrangements Dimitri and Rose had, but Adrian had no clue. He recognized Rose almost immediately, and though he didn't say it then, he did wonder what the hell the kidnapped girl his team had discovered was doing living with Dimitri.

"Not that I don't love the surprise, but what are you two doing here?" He said, ushering them to the kitchen. The boys had spent plenty of time at Dimitri's place before so they grabbed drinks and snacks like it was their own house.

"Well Adrian wanted to tell you about our plans for tonight and figured that you couldn't ignore him if we showed up at your place, rather than just called you."

"Adrian was right. What plans did you have for tonight?"

"I wanted us all to go out tonight to celebrate your birthday. It's been forever since we did something outside of work. So I told everyone to meet at Fez at 11 tonight." Dimitri shot a glance at Rose. He didn't mind a night out with his friends, but Fez was a club. And though a club wasn't usually Dimitri's scene, he felt especially against the idea because he didn't feel comfortable taking Rose to a place where there would be such a large crowd.

Rose knew Dimitri enough to sense his dilemma and spoke up. "You should go, it's your birthday and you deserve to have fun."

She meant what she said. Rose didn't mind spending a quiet night at home and she especially did not want Dimitri to miss out on any fun just because of her.

"You should come, too!" Adrian said, and he seemed to genuinely mean it.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Dimitri said and Rose agreed. The old Rose would have loved the idea of going to a club with three grown, attractive men, but the new Rose was worried that she would be placing herself in an environment she wasn't quite ready for.

"Come on, what's the worse that could happen? She's going to have all of us there, not to mention Yuri and Emil are coming, too. She will literally be the safest girl in that place. I also told Sydney to come, too and I don't want her to feel out of place being the only girl coming." Adrian had a really good point. Even under normal circumstances, Dimitri wouldn't let another man come near Rose. And he really did want to spend his birthday with Rose, but only if she was comfortable.

"Only if Rose is up for it."

"Aren't we forgetting the fact that Fez is a 21 and older club? How would I even get in?"

All three men shared a smirk, before Ivan spoke up. "Rose, look at us. There is not anyone, even a bouncer, who would stop us. You'll get in easy." Ivan was right. Rose felt bad for anyone who would be stupid enough to go against this group.

"Okay I'm in."

Ivan and Adrian left shortly afterwards, only after Adrian made Dimitri swear on everything he owned and loved that he wouldn't bail on the plans.

"Your friends are nice," Rose commented. She was surprised at how at ease she felt around them. Adrian especially was hilarious and Rose was clutching her stomach from laughing so hard at some of the things he was saying.

"Yeah they are. Are you sure you're comfortable going Rose? If you're not then I seriously don't mind cancelling."

"I swear I'm okay." Dimitri took her word for it. They spent the next couple of hours lounging around and watching movies, before getting ready for their night out.

Rose left her hair loose and wavy, figuring that straightening it would be a waste of time, because the possible humidity in the club would ruin it within the first 10 minutes. She struggled over what outfit to wear. For some reason, she wanted to look good. So far, Dimitri had been seeing Rose in tights and hoodies, or workout clothes. She wanted to impress him tonight.

She decided on wearing a tight black shirt with a 'V' that stopped right above her cigar burn. Rose had big breasts and this shirt did her complete justice. She paired the shirt off with a tight black jeans and knee high boots. Since it was still winter, she threw a black leather jacket on top. She kept her makeup light, but accentuated her eyes a bit.

Rose had to admit she looked good and she couldn't wait to see Dimitri's reaction to her outfit.

Dimitri kept it simple, wearing a long sleeved, charcoal-grey shirt along with dark-washed jeans. He opted to wear a leather jacket instead of his usual duster since it would fit the club scene more.

He had just put his shoes on when Rose walked downstairs.

Dimitri did a double take and couldn't take his eyes off Rose. Her outfit accentuated her figure perfectly and she looked beyond sexy. From her long hair that he loved so much, all the way down to her boots, she looked exquisite and Dimitri had no doubt that all eyes would be on Rose tonight.

"You okay there Comrade?" Rose said, a little nervously. Dimitri had been staring at her wordlessly for quite some time now and she wasn't sure if her outfit was too much or not.

Dimitri shook himself out his daze and nodded. He got up and walked closer to her.

Quietly groaning, he said, "You're really going to put me to work tonight aren't you?"  
Rose tilted her head in confusion. Dimitri didn't respond and led her outside, where they sat in his car and made their way to the club.

The boys had been right. The bouncer didn't bother asking for her I.D. and she was easily granted entry into the club.

Fez was a Moroccan club. Though most of the music was popular hip-hop and dancing songs, they also played the occasional Arab club music to fit the theme of the place.

The place was packed with grinding and gyrating bodies and Rose suddenly felt like she made a mistake coming tonight.

She looked around the club nervously until a familiar hand pulled her close. Dimitri looked down at Rose and put his mouth close to her ear.

"Are you okay? We can go home if you want."

"No I'm okay, I promise."

"You'll let me know if you don't feel comfortable."

She nodded her in response and he pulled her to a large table in the corner. Dimitri introduced Rose to all his friends. They were incredibly friendly and Rose already felt more at ease.

"I'm going to go get some drinks." Adrian said, pulling a petite blond with a unique tattoo on the side of her face. He introduced her as his girlfriend, Sydney. Rose wouldn't have ever imagined those two as a couple, but they seemed to fit well together.

"He's probably going to bring half the bar back. The man loves to drink." Dimitri said.

"Just don't get too drunk Comrade. How else will you find me in this crowd," Rose said half jokingly, trying to mask some of her nervousness.

Dimitri suddenly became serious and turned completely to Rose, his large frame towering over her.

"I would find you. There could be thousands of people in here Rose and I would find you. I could much faster forget my face in the mirror, but never yours."

Rose heart raced at his words. When had he started feeling this way towards her?

"Dimitri," she said softly, placing her hand on his chest. He immediately covered her hand with his much larger one and squeezed it.

The moment was ruined when Adrian came back with an abundance of shots and sly smirk on his face.

"Bottoms up!"

The night progressed better than Rose and Dimitri could have imagined. Rose was getting along great with everyone.

Dimitri had his arm over Rose's shoulder and she was pressed up against him. She felt so comfortable.

A fast-paced Arab beat came up, and Rose suddenly had the urge to dance.

"Rose you gotta go dance, this is like a song of your people," Adrian slurred.

"It's not the song of her people, she's half Turkish," Dimitri said.

"Close enough! Let's go," Adrian said, grabbing Sydney and urging Rose to join them, as well.

"You don't have to Rose," Dimitri said, turning towards me.

"I kind of want to."

Dimitri's eyebrows shot up in surprise and he got up, allowing Rose to slide out of the booth. She took off her leather jacket and got up.

"Then don't let me stop you," he said smiling and giving her a light push on her back.

Rose let loose on the dance floor, moving her hips to the rhythm of the song. She completely drowned out the people around her as her body sensually moved to the beat.

"Oh my gosh, you're like a natural," Sydney said in awe.

"Thanks! I'm actually apart of a dance team in school."

"Well, you're really good at it." Rose smiled in response and continued to dance.

She looked over at their table and couldn't find Dimitri anywhere. She frowned slightly and Adrian noticed.

"He's a little busy right now," he said, smirking.

Rose's confusion grew more, but she ignored it and continued to dance.

Eventually 'Push' by Enrique Iglesias came on and Rose was about to walk back to the booth. This was more of a couple's song and she kind of tired herself out from all of the dancing.

Before she could take on step, she felt strong arms envelop her small frame and her back was pushed up against a muscular and lean chest.

From the scent of his aftershave, Rose immediately knew it was Dimitri.

She slightly turned her head to look at him. He was smiling down at her, his shoulder length hair loose for the night.

"Where were you?" Rose said, slightly pouting.

"I told you at the house you were going to put me to work tonight. I've been picking guys away from you all night," he said smirking.

"You've been shielding me from guys all night?" Rose asked, shocked. She did notice while dancing that no guy had approached her, but she didn't think too much of it. Now she knew that it was Dimitri's doing. He really was protecting her.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"It's your birthday, you should be enjoying yourself. Why did you spend all that time worrying about me?"

"It's my job," he said unconvincingly, moving his gaze away from Rose's. "Plus, with you dancing the way you were and being the most beautiful girl in here, I didn't want anyone thinking they could touch you." He said looking back over at Rose.

She didn't say anything and instead faced forward.

"I'm here now, dance with me," he whispered in her ear and grabbed her hips to pull her closer.

Though Dimitri had been picking guys away from Rose most of the night, he still kept his eye on her. And he was floored and aroused to see how good of a dancer she was. Its like her body had a mind of its own and moved to each song like it was made specifically for that. She made dancing look like an art.

The song they were dancing to now was slow and sexual, and Rose moved her backside against Dimitri's groin with ease. Since she had worn boots that had a slight heel, it brought her backside closer to his pelvis. Already, Rose could feel Dimitri's hardening length on her butt, and it only encouraged her to push herself harder against him.

Without thinking, she bought one hand back and weaved it through Dimitri's silky hair. Dimitri greatly approved of the act, because he brought his left hand up to her stomach and pushed her completely against him, so the hard planes of his chest rubbed against her back.

Dimitri took the opportunity to run his nose along Rose's neck. Feeling her shiver in his arms, he boldly placed a kiss right below her ear. Rose's eyes involuntarily closed and she pushed her neck closer to Dimitri's mouth.

Dimitri tired to relive some of his ache by grinding Rose's butt in the direction he needed.

Sweat began to make their skin slick as they tried to find ways to get closer to one another.

Suddenly, they were pulled out of their sensual trance when the song suddenly changed to 'Gasolina.'

Rose turned around in Dimitri's arm, making sure to stay pressed up against him.

His eyes were hooded with lust and Rose was positive she had a similar look on her face.

She pulled Dimitri down gently by the neck and placed her mouth right by his ear and whispered.

"Take me home Dimitri."


	7. Chapter 7

**I finally updated! I just want to say a quick thank you for all of the people who wished me a Happy Ramadan and asked me about Eid. I can't tell you how happy it made me to read all of the reviews. Eid was on Friday and it was really nice enjoying time with my family.**

 **I can finally focus more on the stories. I already started writing the next part of She-Wolf, and am hoping to put a chapter out before the end of this week. Thank you for being so patient with me. I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

Sitting in the car, driving back, Dimitri couldn't keep the smile off his face. Both Rose and Dimitri were hot and bothered by the little dance they shared together back at the club, but there was something Rose had said that couldn't wipe the grin off of Dimitri's face.

Rose glanced over at Dimitri and could see how hard he was trying to fight his giddiness.

"Why are you smiling?" She asked, leaning slightly against the door to get a better look at him.

Dimitri quickly glanced over at her and shook his head, "It's nothing."

"Tell me," she said softly, slightly jutting out her bottom lip.

"When you look at me like that, how can I say no," he said chuckling. A blush began to creep up Dimitri's neck and he rubbed the back of his neck; he was embarrassed. "Its just that, back at the club you said take me home," he revealed finally.

Rose tilted her head to the side in confusion. She remembered what she said, but she didn't know why that was something Dimitri was nervous to say to her. Dimitri saw her questioning look and further explained himself.

"You said take me home, not take me to your house or take me to the place I'm living at right now, but you said take me home. I don't know, it was just nice to hear that you consider my place, our place as home," Dimitri said, shrugging slightly trying not to make a big deal out of it even though it clearly was a big deal to him.

He never thought that sharing a home with someone, especially under the current circumstances they were under, would be something Dimitri would enjoy. Though the reasoning behind Rose's living arrangements were grim, her presence was refreshing and Dimitri didn't want to accept the fact that there would come a time soon enough where he wouldn't see Rose every morning when he woke up and every night before he fell asleep.

Rose couldn't fight the smile off of her face at what Dimitri said. It was endearing to think that her referring to his place as home meant so much to him. She didn't even think twice about saying it. Rose didn't know when she began to consider Dimitri's house as her home, but she had and the thought of it made her feel warm inside.

He looked over at Rose and saw her smiling back at him. No more words were exchanged between the two, but Dimitri reached over and grabbed Rose's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. He didn't leg go the whole way home.

Arriving back at their place, Dimitri and Rose chucked their shoes off by the front door. Dimitri leaned against the door and watched Rose slip her boots off her long, lean legs. Once she was done, she could feel Dimitri's gaze on her skin and looked up at him. Leaning back on the wall opposite Dimitri, she peeked up at him from under her lashes.

Thinking back to their dance back at the club, Rose was overcome with an arousal she had never felt before, even before her time with Nathan. From the first time Nathan violated her, Rose buried any type of sexual feelings away and accepted that she would never feel any type attraction, sexual or not, towards another human being again.

But seeing how special Dimitri made her feel the night before when he kissed her scars and earlier tonight at the club, she wondered if she could take this step with Dimitri.

He had been helping her with every other part of her recovery, so why not this?

Dimitri hadn't felt this attracted to another female in his whole life, and it was crazy to think that he and Rose weren't even in a relationship. He was merely protecting her. But he knew she was just as affected with their night together as he was.

"Dimitri," Rose whispered softly, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Hmm," he replied, moving away from the door and bringing himself a little closer to Rose.

"I want to try something. With you, if you'd let me." She clarified, wringing her fingers together.

Dimitri moved closer to Rose and took her hands in his. He could tell she was nervous about whatever it is she was trying to say and he wanted to ease her nerves.

"What is it?" He asked, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles.

Rose cleared her throat, trying to come up with the right words to convey to Dimitri what she was feeling and what she wanted to do.

"I want to do stuff, with me and you. I just, I don't know how to go about it."

Dimitri's eyebrows furrowed, and he stepped closer so his chest brushed against Rose's.

"What is it that you want to do?"

Rose looked up at Dimitri and her breath hitched in her throat.

"You made me feel things tonight, things I've never felt before with another man," Rose admitted softly. Dimitri stayed silent, allowing Rose to continue. "I didn't think I could feel this way, especially after everything that's happened. I thought these feelings would scare me, but it's the opposite. I like these feelings and I want to explore them some more…with you."

Dimitri didn't have an immediate response for Rose. He was too busy wrapping his head around the fact that Rose wanted more from him. He was turned on at the club, but now he was painfully hard.

He placed his right hand on her cheek and rubbed his thumb across it. Rose instinctively bought her face closer to his palm, his touch calming her down. He moved his hand lower, his thumb now grazing Rose's full bottom lip. Her breath moistened the pad of his finger as he gently traced it back and forth.

"You've helped me with everything else. I guess I'm asking if you could help me with this, too."

Dimitri dropped his hand from Rose's face and for a split second Rose thought Dimitri would deny her, but a moment later, he grasped her hand and began leading her up the stairs and to his bedroom.

Shutting the door behind him, he turned towards Rose. Dimitri walked up to her so his chest was pressed against hers. He brought his hands up and cupped her face.

"What do you want me to do Rose?" He asked, his eyes searching hers.

"Kiss me," she said almost immediately. Dimitri looked at Rose for a moment longer and then finally bought his lips down onto hers. Her lips molded perfectly against his and they kissed like they had been kissing each other their whole life.

The kiss started off sweet and innocent, but weeks of hidden attraction, accidental touches, and nervous anticipation for what their odd situation would bring next, caused both to turn up the intensity of their kiss.

Dimitri's mouth pressed harder against Rose's as he moved one hand away from her face and entangled it in her dark, silky mane. Rose wrapped her fingers tightly around his bulging biceps, her nails digging into the softness of his shirt the longer they kissed.

Dimitri's lips parted as his tongue glided across Rose's bottom lip, begging for entrance which she immediately and eagerly provided. The moment their tongues touched, Rose let out a quiet moan, as a tightening coil of heat deep in the pit of her belly reminded her that she was feeling like this just from the feel of his lips on hers.

Dimitri's tongue explored her mouth and he could already admit that he had never enjoyed kissing someone so much in his whole entire life.

Unfortunately, the need to breath forced the two apart though they still gripped each other close. Rose's eyes were closed and she was panting and Dimitri took the opportunity to gaze at her flushed cheeks and glossy, parted lips. He couldn't help himself and leaned down again, quickly sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and giving it a gentle tug.

A whimper left Rose's mouth at the action as she finally opened her eyes to look at Dimitri.

"No one has ever kissed me like that before," she admitted.

"You and me both." A moment later he asked, "What is it that you need me to help you with Rose?" He had an idea of what she wanted, but he wanted her to tell him. Nothing was more important to him than her comfort so he wanted to make sure he did everything right.

Rose thought for a moment about it before replying.

"There are so many parts of me that are tainted because of Nathan. But being with you, its like all of those parts have awakened." Rose molded herself completely against Dimitri's strong frame, his arousal pressing against her belly.

"Tonight, when we were dancing, I could feel you. I could feel that you wanted me and knowing I was affecting you like that made me so wet," she whispered the last part so quietly, that if they weren't standing so close together then Dimitri would have surely missed what she said.

Dimitri groaned out loud at Rose's admission and shut his eyes tight. He had been with quite a few girls before and nothing any girl had ever said could compare to how turned on Dimitri felt at Rose telling him that the feel of his erection made her wet.

He opened his eyes again and repeated the question he had asked her already. "What do you want me to do Rose?"

Rose shut her eyes tight, and the slight quiver of her chin told him that she was getting upset. She opened her eyes and they were filled with unshed tears threatening to spill over.

"I want you to make me forget." She whispered, a traitorous tear rolling down her cheek. "I want to hold onto these feelings that I'm having for you right now. Last night you kissed all of my scars and showed me that I was still beautiful despite the marks he left on me. Tonight, I want you to kiss all of the other places he left his mark."

Tears continued to roll down Rose's face and Dimitri gently wiped away each one. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips before pulling back and looking at her once again.

"I'll do anything you want me to Rose," he said, his Russian accent becoming stronger due to the lust he was feeling.

Without saying another word, Rose grasped Dimitri's hand and bought him closer to the bed. She reached down and grabbed the hem of her shirt, ready to pull it up, but Dimitri gently grabbed her hands and placed them at her sides.

"I'm supposed to be the one helping you. Let me take care you Rose," he said as he grabbed the bottom of Rose's shirt and pulled it off her body. Her bountiful breasts were encased in a black satin bra that had Dimitri going wild. He looked at her breasts a moment longer and then looked at Rose, wordlessly asking her if he could continue. She nodded her head, allowing him permission to strip her of another article of clothing.

His large and rough hands gently skimmed up her hips as he bought them to the back of her bra. With a quick snap of his fingers, he unhooked the offending material and slowly took it off her shoulders, down her arms and threw it on the ground behind him.

Though he had seen them the night before, Dimitri still couldn't get enough. Reminding himself that this was entirely supposed to be about Rose and her recovery, he bought his lips down to place a soft kiss where Nathan burned her on her clavicle. He skimmed his nose down the center of her chest and kissed the mark in between her breasts. Moving his mouth down a little lower and to the right, he kissed the scar under the swell of her right breast before gently licking the length of the scar.

The feel of Dimitri's lips and tongue caused Rose to whimper out loud.

Knowing Dimitri wouldn't do anything without Rose's permission, she softly gripped his head, her fingers entangling in his silky hair and bought his mouth to her right nipple.

Without skipping a beat, Dimitri's mouth closed around Rose's tight bud and he eagerly began licking, biting and sucking at her flesh.

Dimitri's hands stroked the soft skin of Rose's hips as he roughly sucked her nipple into his mouth.

Rose's moans and gasps of pleasure encouraged him further to move his mouth onto her left nipple and give it the same attention as he gave the other. Rose gripped Dimitri's hair, urging him to keep his mouth on her breast longer.

Dimitri reluctantly pulled away and gently laid Rose down on the bed. He hovered over her, making sure to keep majority of his weight off of her body. Feeling like he didn't get enough of her breasts, he bought his eager mouth back to her dusky nipples and ran his tongue around the bud before nipping and sucking the entirety of it into his mouth.

"Dimitri," Rose mewled softly. Dimitri pulled his mouth off of her as his hands skimmed down her waist to the buttons of her skin-tight jeans.

"You tell me if I'm going to fast, okay?" Dimitri said, because the last thing he wanted to do was traumatize Rose more than she already had been.

"I will," she replied and he took that as permission to unbutton her pants and pull the black denim off of her long tan legs. He chucked the pants somewhere behind him as he took in the beauty that lay in front of him.

Rose was left in black lace panties, hiding her femininity from Dimitri's hungry gaze.

"Dimitri," she whispered.

"Hmm," was the only reply he could get out since he was so busy ogling Rose's curvaceous and toned figure.

Instead of voicing what she wanted, she sat up so she was closer to Dimitri. Rose grabbed the bottom of his shirt and quickly deposited it in the direction of her own shirt and bra.

Slowly, she ran her delicate hands up and down his chest, her fingers lightly tugging at the minimal amount of dark chest hair he had. Leaning a little closer, she kissed the scar on Dimitri's chest just like he had done with her.

A groan deep within Dimitri's throat encouraged Rose to further explore Dimitri's chest with her mouth so she took his nipple into her mouth and ran her tongue in slow circles around it.

She moved onto his other nipple and repeated the same action on that one before pulling away and lying back down.

Dimitri pulled Rose's panties slightly down so her two identical cigar burns were showing. Just like the night before, he placed two soft kisses on the scars. Then, he skimmed his nose along her underwear and inhaled the scent of Rose at the tender area between her legs.

"Where did he hurt you Rose? Where do you want me to kiss you?"

Rose slowly dragged her hand down the length of her body and placed it right over her mound.

"He hurt me here," she said and Dimitri slowly pulled off the last article of clothing covering Rose.

Leaning back on his haunches, Dimitri couldn't help but to take a moment and admire the beauty that lay before him. His cock was hard and painfully pushing against the fabric of his jeans. He tugged at his pants to try to bring some comfort to his length. He unbuttoned his pants and pulled them slightly down so his cock wasn't so constricted. Dimitri didn't do anything further and focused his entire attention back on Rose.

"So beautiful Roza, so beautiful," he whispered.

He grabbed her knees and pulled them apart. Her sex was glistening and pink, making Dimitri's mouth water for a taste.

He bought his fingers to the area between her legs, eliciting a moan from Rose. She was so soft and warm. Then he leaned down and kissed her on her sex.

"Please Dimitri, please," she gasped, pushing herself further into his awaiting mouth.

She could feel his tongue making patterns on her clit, before tugging it into his mouth and sucking it.

Dimitri's mouth was hungry and desperate as he alternated between running his tongue up and down her slit, to nibbling her bundle of nerves between his lips. The more he tasted her liquid that was dripping onto his tongue, the more he fell in love with the distinct taste of Rose.

Dimitri wanted to continue, but he pulled back slightly.

"Where else Rose? Where else do you need me to kiss you?" He whispered, so close to her sex that she could feel his breath on her.

Rose hesitated in answering, embarrassment and shame making her blush hard.

Nathan had violated every part of her body and Dimitri wanted to know where his mouth was needed next.

Pulling her legs a little closer to her chest, Rose reached down passed her slit and her hand came into contact with her back hole.

Blushing, she answered, "Here but you don't have to-"

Dimitri cut off whatever Rose was going to say by tucking his shoulders underneath her legs and parting her cheeks. His tongue darted out and he licked her from the tight back hole all the way up to her pussy. His tongue was relentless, yet thorough, licking, probing, and sucking; triggering loud moans from Rose's mouth.

The decadent taste of Rose made Dimitri groan onto Rose's sex, sending vibrations through her body and bringing her closer to the edge.

"Fuck Dimitri, fuck," she panted, her hips rocking against his greedy mouth.

She was so close and he knew it.

With his mouth pressed against her clit, he groaned, "Cum for me Roza, right on my tongue."

Gripping his hair tighter than before, Rose's hips sprang off the bed as a powerful orgasm racked through her body.

Dimitri licked every drop of her essence up. He slowly licked up her slit, to calm her through her orgasm. Kissing her one final time on her puckered whole between her cheeks, and then once on her pussy, he moved up her body only to come face-to-face with a tearful Rose.

Momentarily alarmed and worried over something he might have did, Dimitri opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, before Rose grabbed his face and placed fierce kiss on Dimitri's mouth. She moaned at the taste of herself on his lips, before finally pulling away.

He looked down at her to see a smile gracing her features though her eyes remained glossy.

"Thank you," she whispered tearfully, "thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**This is a bit of a filler chapter. I'm trying to make the next chapter a bit more eventful and heavy. Hope you all enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

I woke up in bed alone.

After Dimitri finished pleasing me, he got up to use the bathroom. I assumed he went to adjust himself since I could feel his arousal pushing against his jeans and rubbing against my belly.

When he had come back out, he was only in a pair of black boxers.

I knew a lot of guys my age who spent hours in the gym, focusing all of their attention on their abs and arms.

But Dimitri was toned and fit everywhere. His thighs and calves were muscular, and seemed to go along perfectly with his model-like chest, back, and biceps.

I didn't think it was possible so soon after receiving an earth-shattering-which also happened to be my first-orgasm, but seeing Dimitri half naked caused me to once again become breathless.

 _I was still naked, and pleasantly sated when Dimitri came back to bed._

 _Once he got settled in, he immediately pulled me to his side and turned over, so we were facing each other. We were so close, that our chests brushed against each other and I could feel his breath fanning my face._

 _I should've felt shy being under his intense gaze, but if anything, I could feel the familiar fire I felt earlier due to Dimitri coming to life again within me._

 _He rubbed his calloused hand up and down my bare back, sending shivers down my spine and ultimately pushing me closer to his chest._

 _"How are you feeling?"_

 _"Better than I thought I ever would be," I replied softly. "All thanks to you."_

 _"I should be thanking you,"_

 _My eyebrows scrunched together in surprise and confusion._

 _"For what?" I asked._

 _"For trusting me enough to let me do that to you." He said, running his hand through my hair. I instinctively leaned into his touch, savoring the feel of his fingers running through my hair._

 _"I would trust with you everything. I do trust you with everything," I said honestly._

 _He didn't reply and instead pressed a lingering kiss on my forehead._

 _When he pulled away, he looked into my eyes again. I could see him thinking about something and contemplating whether to say what was running through his mind or not._

 _"What is it?" I asked, nuzzling my nose against his, trying to find anyway and everyway I could to keep feeling him._

 _"I'm going to have to do that again Rose," he admitted._

 _I looked at him in slight confusion, not understanding what he meant._

 _Dimitri lightly pushed against my chest so I was lying on my back. He rested his weight on his left elbow, which was situated right above my head._

 _He used his right hand to lightly trail his fingertips along the length of my torso till he reached the sensitive area between my thighs. Gently nudging them apart, he ran his pointer finger along my slit that was already surprisingly wet due to Dimitri's touch._

 _He looked back into my eyes once I gasped at the feeling of his finger rubbing back and forth along my sex._

 _He pulled his finger away and placed it in his mouth, closing his eyes and savoring my wetness._

 _I quietly moaned at the action, and rubbed my thighs together to create some friction at the area I needed it most._

 _Dimitri opened his eyes to look at me, and his usual brown eyes were once again dark with lust._

 _"I'm going to want to taste you again. It doesn't have to be tonight, but I don't think I can stay away from that place between your thighs for too long," He whispered, bringing his face closer to mine._

 _I don't think I had ever heard something more erotic come out of someone's mouth before. Hell, I don't know how I wasn't grabbing Dimitri's face and dragging it to my pussy as we speak._

 _I don't know what happens to me when I'm with him, but I love it. I love who I am when I'm with Dimitri._

 _Brushing my lips against his, I whispered, "You can do whatever you want with me."_

So after last night, waking up alone for the first time since Dimitri and I had started sharing a bed sucked.

I clutched the sheets to my naked chest and rolled over to grab my phone.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise when I saw that it was half past 12.

Damn, no wonder why Dimitri wasn't in bed. The man was programmed to wake up at the crack of dawn no matter what time he fell asleep.

I reluctantly pulled myself out of the comfort of his bed, and grabbed my club clothes from the night before that had been discarded all over the floor.

A blush covered my cheeks as I picked up my panties and bra. I rarely ever got embarrassed, especially over a guy. But with Dimitri, I found myself becoming uncharacteristically shy.

Despite everything that had transpired between us last night, I was nervous to face him. Dimitri was not only a man who had strong morals, but he was also someone in law enforcement who my parents hired to protect me. Would he regret what we did last night? Would he shut down any future intimate interactions between us?

Last night could be written off as me needing his help as a part of my recovery, but would he continue to entertain this any further?

Maybe he didn't look at me like a minor right now, but he definitely would in a week when I would start school again. Dimitri treated me like his equal right now, and I didn't want that to change.

Despite my overwhelming thoughts, I got up and made Dimitri's bed before heading back to my own. I didn't want him to find me in here, naked. After freshening up in the bathroom, I threw on some tights and a long sleeved shirt.

Then I went in search of Dimitri.

Both the living room and kitchen were empty, but I saw that Dimitri's running shoes weren't there so he must've gone on his usual morning run.

I was actually grateful he hadn't woken me up for that.

He had left me completely exhausted last night and all I had done was lay there.

Making my way to the kitchen, I decided to start making a pot of coffee so there was a cup ready for when Dimitri came back.

A few minutes later, I heard the front door open and Dimitri walked in, but he stood with his back to me, and looked outside with an almost exasperated expression.

"Dear god Adrian, let's go, we barely ran 5 miles," he said, to who I am now assuming was Adrian.

I walked up behind him to see the brown-haired man panting, with his hands on his knees, right by Dimitri's mailbox. The sight of him caused a giggle to escape me, and Dimitri turned, finally noticing my presence.

His face instantly lit up and a small smile that I noticed he reserved just for me broke out on his face.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," he said.

"Good morning," I replied walking closer to him, "why didn't you wake me?"

"You were out like the dead. My alarm went off, my phone rang twice and Adrian rang the doorbell about 20 times and you were still asleep. I figured you must've been really tired, so I didn't wake you," he told me, shrugging his shoulder.

It was so crazy to think that just a few months ago, I avoided sleeping, because I had nightmares every night. Now, I could sleep with no problem at all, and it was all because of Dimitri.

Our attention was taken away from one another when Adrian finally limped his way through the front door and fell onto his back, right by our feet.

"I'm dead, I died, I'm dead," he said, breathing heavily. His cheeks were pink with the physical exertion he put himself through and a layer of sweat covered his face, despite the freezing temperature outside.

"You better not throw up on my floor," Dimitri said, trying look serious, but I could tell he was amused by his cousin.

"Your concern warms my heart Dimitri," Adrian replied sarcastically.

"I hope you know that Rose runs that route with me every morning and barely complains," Dimitri said, pointing to me.

"Um, are we forgetting that I literally drank all of you under the table last night. I don't even know how I drove over here this morning," he said. I couldn't help but find the whole exchange comical, considering Adrian was still lying on his back, staring up at us.

"No one told you to drink that much," Dimitri replied.

"Easier said than done," he said. Adrian began digging around in his pocket, barely able to keep his eyes open. I did feel slightly bad for him, because I had seen just how much he had drank last night. I was surprised he didn't have his head in the toilet right now and instead, went on a run with a fitness freak like Dimitri.

"Rose, take this," he said shoving his phone into my hand. I looked at it confused as his arms fell back at his sides. He was sprawled out like a starfish. "Delete my browser history. Tell Sydney I love her, and not to listen to what anyone tells her about moving on, because that's what they think I would've wanted. She better mourn my death alone till she's old and grey."

I looked at his phone in slight disgust and apprehension, not wanting to open the internet up to see what he possibly could've been searching.

"How about I get you some water instead," I said, handing him back his phone and walking into the kitchen.

I could hear Dimitri chuckling behind me, and finally pulling Adrian up to bring him into the kitchen.  
He plopped down on the stool and dropped his head onto the counter, groaning out loud.

I silently handed him his water and two Advils, to which he gave me a grateful smile. Dimitri walked over to the coffee machine, and after thanking me for having it ready, he made himself and Adrian a cup.

"Why are you here Adrian?" he asked his cousin, while sliding the cup over to him.

"I wanted to workout," he mumbled, avoiding Dimitri's gaze.

"You never workout, let alone with me. What's going on, is everything okay?" he asked, sitting down across from him. I could see the concern on his face and wondered if I should leave the two alone so they could speak privately.

Adrian played with the rim of the coffee cup, before finally looking up and answering Dimitri.

"It's Sydney," he said.

"What's wrong with her?" Dimitri said, slightly worried. Even I leaned in closer. Though I had only met the girl last night, we had immediately hit it off.

"Nothing, she's good. She's great actually."

"Then what's the problem?" Dimitri asked, confused.

Dimitri took a sip of his coffee while Adrian took a deep breath, before replying. "She told me she wanted to move in together and my dick got hard."

Dimitri suddenly began coughing, the sip of coffee and Adrian's comment causing him to nearly choke. I rubbed his back until his coughing died down.

"Excuse me, what?" Dimitri finally questioned Adrian. I looked over at him too, wondering why on God's big, green earth a comment like that from his girlfriend would cause that type of physical reaction. And why he felt the need to share that with us.

"I said, she mentioned she wanted to move in together and my dick-"

"I heard what you said," Dimitri cut him off quickly. "I'm saying why? Just why," Dimitri said, clearly at a loss for words.

"You know how much commitment scares me. And Sydney and I are complete opposites. I didn't even think this relationship was going to last as long as it has. I just," he paused, shrugging. "I don't know. It's like when she said that, I could see a whole future with her, playing out in my head like a movie."

"That's great Adrian," Dimitri said.

"I know, I just don't want to screw anything up. I have the worst track record when it comes to relationship. Remember Avery," he pointed out and he and Dimitri both visibly shivered.

"The one who tried to push you out the window?"

"Yes, that one! I just don't want to screw anything up with Sydney. I love her too much," he admitted and it instantly bought a smile to my face. Adrian was the type of guy who didn't come off as being serious about anything, but seeing him speak so sweetly of Sydney, warmed my heart.

"She obviously loves you, too. Anyone with eyes can see how much you care about each other. Look Adrian, if you let every previous relationship that you've been in come between you and Sydney, you'll never be happy. Focus on you and her now, and forget everything else. Don't let your past ruin your future."

I looked over at Dimitri as he spoke, his last sentence resonating in my mind.

When I had been living under Nathan, I had truly at that time believed that I would never have the type of life I wanted. I assumed I was doomed to live the rest of my days with him, until he eventually got tired of it and killed me.

Then, I had been found, but it didn't make the darkness within me to go away. If anything, I more firmly believed that everything that occurred to me had left such a deep scar on my soul, that there was no way in hell I would ever recover.

And then I met Dimitri, and slowly the darkness that had filled every crevice of my body from the day Nathan kidnapped me, started to seep out, instead being replaced by a new type of light.

I definitely had long road to go in terms of my recovery, and I knew that I would never be 100% okay, but with Dimitri's help, I was a lot closer to the old me than I ever thought I would be.

"You're right, I don't want to lose her," Adrian said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Good, she's the best thing that's ever happened to you. Don't ruin that," Dimitri said, getting up to place his now empty mug in the sink.

"She really is the best, isn't she?" Adrian commented, an almost dreamy look gracing his features. "I'm going to go use the bathroom, then head out. I need to take a nap, bad." He said, excusing himself and heading down the hall to the bathroom.

We both watched him as he walked away. Once he had closed the bathroom door behind him, Dimitri turned to me and we were finally alone for the first time that morning.

"Hey," he said softly, walking up to me so our chests brushed together.

"Hi," I said, just as quietly, smiling up at him.

He raised his hand and cupped my cheek, rubbing his thumb across my cheekbone.

"I missed you in bed this morning," I admitted, while placing my hands on his biceps. Anytime he moved his arms, I could feel the muscles beneath his hoodie contracting.

"I'm sorry, I wanted nothing more than to spend the whole morning with you, but I knew something was up with Adrian when he showed up so early unannounced."

"I know, its okay. You gave him really good advice."

He smiled in response, and wrapped his left arm around my waist, trapping me against his chest.

"Rose," he whispered, his face so close to me that I felt his breath fanning across my face.

"Hmm," I said, unable to come up with a coherent reply due to his close proximity.

"I want to kiss you," he said, moving his mouth even closer. My eyes immediately dropped from his intense gaze to his lips.

Instinctively, I licked my own lips and instead of replying back to him, I stood on my tiptoes, and closed the gap between us. I had just barely brushed my lips against his, when we heard the bathroom door open and Adrian walk out.

Dimitri and I quickly pulled away, putting considerable distance between the two of us. Luckily, Adrian hadn't suspected a thing when he came back into the kitchen.

He grabbed his phone and keys from the counter and was getting ready to head out, but turned back around.

"Oh before I forget, Sydney wanted to know if you two wanted to go out dinner Friday night," Adrian asked, looking at Dimitri and I.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise and I looked at Dimitri to see that he was also sporting the same look as me.

"You mean like a double date?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Yeah, we can go to that nice Latin place that opened up in the city." Adrian said.

Dimitri and I looked at each other again, silently asking the other if we agreed or not. Yeah we had been intimate with each other last night and were just about to engage in a passionate kiss not even a minute ago, but a date seemed more serious in the public sense. We were as close as can be within the privacy of our home, but Dimitri and I hadn't discussed how we would behave in a public setting, like a date.

Dimitri finally looked away after seeing I hadn't turned Adrian's idea down.

"Alright, it's a date."


	9. Chapter 9

**So I decided to split the chapter up. I was going to add the date into this one, but I had a reunion planned for Rose with her parents, so I separated the two. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

"Are you okay with going on this date?"

I looked at Dimitri, mid-bite. A few days had gone by since Adrian suggested the double date, and Dimitri and I avoided the conversation, until now. It's like we were both nervous to say the wrong thing.

Placing the piece of toast back down onto my plate, I answered him truthfully.

"Yes, I am," I said. A moment later I asked, "Are you?"

He nodded, though he still seemed deep in thought.

"Are you sure, Comrade?" I asked, suddenly feeling like he might not think of me the way I thought he had.

Sensing the apprehension and self-doubt in my tone, he answered quickly, "I'm more than okay with it Rose, trust me."

I nodded and a breathed a sigh of relief.

"Our situations just a bit weird," I said, voicing what I believed he might be thinking.

"Tell me about it," he mumbled. "It's like I know what I should do when we're alone, but I'm nervous to screw up out in public," he admitted, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

I looked at him in surprise. "You're nervous? For what?"

"I don't want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable and or bring us back to square one. I can't tell you what your comfort means to me Rose."

I looked at him in surprise and awe. It was so heartwarming to think he cared so much about me being comfortable around him that he was actually nervous about it.

I reached my hand across the kitchen island, placing my hand on top of his. I rubbed small circles on his knuckles, before picking it up and placing a kiss on the center of his palm.

He stared at my movements, not saying a word. I lowered his hand from my lips but held it tight in between both of my own.

"I trust you, you know that," I told him.

"I don't want to mess anything up," he admitted.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to tell him that he was the last person on this earth that I could imagine making me uncomfortable. I didn't know how to tell Dimitri that I trusted him more than I trusted myself.

I didn't say any of that. Instead, I truthfully told him, "You won't."

He looked in my eyes for a long while, trying to see if I was speaking the truth. He must've believed what he saw, because a moment later he tugged at my hand, bringing me around the island to him. Once I stood in front of him, his hands made their way to my waist and he slowly moved them up and down my back.

My arms found their way around his neck, pulling my body so close that I was standing directly in between his legs.

We didn't say anything, but continued to run our hands over each other's bodies.

I felt his right hand slide across my waist and move up to my hair. He grabbed a piece that was next to my face, twirling it around his finger.

Dimitri definitely had a thing for my hair. Any time we were in bed together, his hand would always find its way to my long, brown hair. He constantly ran his fingers through it, to the point where I think it helped him fall asleep faster than it helped me.

"You like my hair?" I asked softly.

He shook his head slightly, "I love your hair."

"Before I moved in here, I was thinking about cutting it short." I admitted. My hair rested above my butt now. After I came back home, I thought about chopping it off, as a way to move on from what happened, but I never got around to it.

Dimitri's eyebrows scrunched together and he looked at me in all seriousness.

"Don't cut your hair," he said.

"Not even a little?" I asked, as he continued to twirl the piece around his finger.

He shook his head and repeated, "Don't cut your hair."

I smiled in response, loving the fact that he liked my hair so much.

"What else do you like?" I asked, my nails gently making patterns on his shirt-covered back.

His one eyebrow shot up, in the cool way that I was completely jealous of. His eyes trailed over my body slowly and so intensely that I began to fidget on my feet.

"You want to know what I love?" he whispered, so close that his breath fanned across my face.

"What?" I asked, breathless.

Dimitri untangled his hand from my hair and moved to the zipper of my hoodie. I held my breath as he began to move the zipper down, slowly, waiting for me to stop him.

But I didn't.

The zipper stopped right at the middle of my chest. Dimitri moved the right side of the fabric away from my chest, exposing my breast encased in a navy blue bra.

My nipple was already pushing against the thin fabric. Dimitri looked me in the eyes, silently asking for my permission.

I pushed my chest closer to his hand, urging him to continue whatever it was that he had started.

His thumb ran over my hardened bud, back and forth, causing me to gasp out loud.

I quickly moved my hands to Dimitri's silky hair, gripping it tight. I could feel the arousal of his touch causing wetness to begin to pool in between my legs.

Dimitri cupped both of my heavy breasts in his large hands, squeezing them.

"I love these Rose," he whispered, unable to take his eyes and hands away from my breasts. "I love touching them."

He pulled the fabric down my from my right breast, revealing my dusky colored nipple. He immediately moved his face close and took the hard bud into his mouth.

I moaned quietly at the feeling of Dimitri biting down on my aching nipple, before soothing the bite by gently sucking on it.

He slightly pulled away and spoke, his breath causing the nipple to pucker up even more. "I love biting them, and kissing them."

He moved his mouth back onto me. The sensation of his wet tongue running circles around the bud had me whimpering. I dropped my mouth on top of his head, pressing kisses against his hair as he relentlessly and roughly began to suck the flesh into his mouth.

"Dimitri," I moaned, dropping my forehead onto the top of his head. My hair fell over my shoulder, blanketing the both of us from the rest of the world.

Dimitri unlatched from my right nipple, and pressed bruising kisses across my chest until he reached my left breast.

He had just pulled the cup of the bra down when his phone began to ring.

The sudden sound caused me to slightly jump as Dimitri quickly pulled his mouth away.

He looked around for his phone, finding it at the end of the island. Keeping one arm wrapped around me, he grabbed the phone, groaning at what he saw on the screen.

He closed his eyes and tipped his head back as I stood in front of him with my bra pulled down and my breasts exposed.

He opened his eyes to gaze at me once again and looked at me with slight regret.

"I have to go to work," he said, pulling me tightly against his chest so my aching nipples brushed against the fabric of his shirt.

"Already?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"No reason to apologize," I told him, quickly pecking him on the lips.

He moved me back slightly and lowered his face to my chest again. He placed a kiss on my left nipple, then one my right, before pulling my bra back up. Then he placed a gentle kiss on my sternum, before zipping the hoodie up.

I moved away from him to allow him room to get up. He took a moment to adjust himself as I tried to calm my breathing from what had just occurred. I could already feel a good kind of soreness on my right nipple caused by the roughness of Dimitri's sucking.

I savored the feeling, only wishing that he the chance to do the same to my left breast, too.

Dimitri was turning me into a real hussy, and I can't say that I minded.

Holding hands, we walked to the front door after he gathered up his cellphone and keys.

He opened the door and turned back around to look at me.

"I have to stay late at the station today, will you be okay?"

I nodded and told him, "Yeah, my parents are supposed to come by later to give me some of my things for school."

"Okay good, call me if you need anything alright."

"I will," I said softly.

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

Pulling back all too soon, he gave me a quick peck on the forehead and went to work.

After Dimitri left, I completed all of the work I had left for school. I couldn't believe that I was going back in a few days.

Even though I was still 17, I felt completely disconnected from those my age. While they were worrying about dates and prom, I had to worry about a psycho who wouldn't let me. I didn't know what I was going to do once I went back, but I knew that it was going to be a big adjustment.

My parents stopped by later that night to drop off my school uniform and class schedule. Since I was starting school in two days, I needed multiple new skirts, shirts, cardigans, and leggings that made up St. Vlad's uniform.

The three of us were sitting in the kitchen together. I offered them both a cup of coffee, then sat down across from them at the kitchen island.

My mom told me how her boss was travelling to Nepal and asking her to come along.

"How long would it be for?" I asked her.

"For a few weeks, and he said your father could come, too."

I nodded, but didn't say anything else. I knew my mom took her job seriously, but I couldn't imagine her leaving the country along with my dad for a few weeks.

It sounded completely selfish of me considering they were the ones to always reach out to me. In the back of my mind, I just knew my parents were only a phone call away, so the sudden thought of them leaving for a while caused a slight panic to rise within me.

"Here is your schedule," my mom said, puling me out of my thoughts, and handing me a small packet, listing the classes, the room number, and the teachers for each course.

"Thanks mom," I said, quickly skimming over the packet, trying to see if I recognized any of the teacher's names.

"Are you nervous," my mom asked, rolling the coffee cup between her palms.

I was beyond nervous and anxious to start school again. I had never had an issue in social settings before, especially school. I was both well-known and well-liked amongst my peers, so I never had an issue fitting in.

But I had been away for so long, that I just didn't think I was ready for the amount of stares and questions I knew I would receive. Not to mention, I felt like I was a lot further behind compared to the rest of my classmates. Even though I had completed all of the schoolwork I missed, I still felt unprepared. The school year began over four months ago and everyone already had an established routine and schedule, one I was completely unfamiliar with.

Not wanting to burden my parents with the inner turmoil happening within me, I opted to give them a simpler answer.

"Yeah I am, but that's to be expected." I said, slightly shrugging.

I heard the front door open and Dimitri walked into the kitchen a few moments later.

Seeing my parents, he put on a respectful smile and approached them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mazur, how are you?" he asked politely, shaking hands with both of them.

As they exchanged pleasantries, I looked over the schedule again, wondering if Lissa would be in any of my classes.

She was my best friend from the time we were 5, and this had been the longest we had ever gone without seeing or talking to each other.

She tried reaching out to me a few months ago, when I had first returned home, but I wasn't ready to reconnect with anyone in my life. I was still too traumatized and the memories of what happened to me plagued my mind night and day.

After a few instances, she gave up trying, not that I could blame her. I did miss her, and she was one of the few reasons I was a little excited to start school again.

My parents stayed a little while longer, making small talk with Dimitri and I before deciding to head out.

My dad grabbed the bag they left by the front door, containing my uniform and handed it to me.

"There should be enough in there to last you a while, but let us know if you need any more and we'll order you new ones," my dad said. I nodded in response, setting the bag down on the couch.

My mom was wringing her hands together as my dad tugged at the gold hoop in his ear. 17 years of living with my parents, and I knew by their fidgeting that they were both anxious and overwhelmed.

"Well its getting late, we should go," my mom said, though she made no sign of moving.

I nodded once again, rubbing the back of my neck. I always had such a strong bond with both of my parents, but at that moment, I felt completely disconnected from the both of them.

I saw my mom lift her hands quickly, before dropping them back at her side and stepping closer to the door.

She glanced up at my dad, frowning and then turned away from me.

She wanted to hug me.

They had both wanted to hug me since the day I came back into their life, and as much as it killed me to see them trying so hard to stop themselves from touching me, I couldn't bring myself to give them that comfort they needed.

Now, I stood in front of them feeling ashamed and disgusted in myself.

Here I was, living with a man for no more than a few weeks, who I had allowed to touch, feel, and kiss my naked skin. Yet, I hadn't considered the pain my parents must've been going through to have me be so physically and emotionally distant from them.

My dad cleared his throat and said, "Call us if you need anything, and tell us how your first day goes." I nodded again, not trusting my voice at the moment.

I walked over to the couch, my back facing the door and picked out my uniform from the bag.

I heard my dad and Dimitri speak briefly about meeting at Dimitri's job, but I couldn't really focus on what they said.

I bought the cardigan up to my nose and inhaled, instantly picking up the scent that I always associated with my house.

Closing my eyes tight, I could feel a lump beginning to form in my throat.

Dimitri shut the door behind my parents, as tears began streaming down my face.

I gripped the uniform tight to my chest, feeling like I was suffocating.

"Your parents seem relieved that you're starting school," I heard him say, walking up behind me.

I bit my lip hard to stop the tears, but a sob ripped out of my throat and my shoulders began to shake.

"Rose," Dimitri said, panic rising in his voice. I saw him kneel down in front of me through the blur of my tears. "Rose, what's wrong?" He said, cupping my face, and trying to wipe away the continuous stream that was making my face wet.

"Dimitri," I managed to say, despite the lump in my throat.

"What is it Roza?" he asked, concern masking his face.

I sniffed and tried to calm my breathing before continuing. "My parents," I said gesturing to the door behind me. "I could see how much they wanted to give me a hug." I placed the uniform to the side, and rubbed my hand over my chest. "They looked so broken, standing there, all because of me."

Dimitri eyebrows scrunched together as he took in what I said. He looked towards the door then back at me again.

Standing up, he gently grabbed my arm. "Get up," he said, pulling me to my feet.

"What?" I asked confused, as he began dragging me to the front door. "Dimitri, what are you doing?"

"Hurry up," he said, without glancing back at me. He quickly opened the front door, pulling me outside with him.

My dad had just opened up the passenger door for my mom when they spotted Dimitri and I outside.

Taking in the tearful and sniffling state I was in, my parents shut the car door quickly and walked towards the front of the car.

"Kizim, is everything okay?" my dad asked, alarmed. They looked torn between wanting to comfort me yet giving me the space they thought I still needed.

Dimitri nudged me forward, closer to them.

I released a shaky breath, and wringed my fingers together. Glancing back at Dimitri, I saw an overwhelming amount of support. He nodded his head towards my parents' direction, and I turned back around to face them.

"Are you going to leave without giving me a hug?" I spoke, my voice cracking.

My moms hands flew up to her mouth, and both their eyes filled with tears. I took advantage of their momentary shock, walking towards them quickly.

"Oh my baby, come here," my mom said grabbing my arm once I was close enough and enveloping me in a hug tight enough to hurt. I instantly tightened my arms around my mother's small frame, feeling her sobbing into my neck.

I felt my dad come up to our side and put his arm around the both of us, peppering my hair with kisses.

"We've waited so long for this kizim," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

I buried my face in my mom's hair, inhaling the scent that I associated with my mother since I was a baby. She pulled her face back, and kissed every inch of my face.

I felt like I was a child once again, who wanted nothing more than to crawl into her mother's lap and bury her face in her bosom.

I didn't realize until now just how much I missed my parents. I missed their voice, I missed their scent, and I missed their touch.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," I said, feeling an overwhelming amount of guilt swirling inside of me.

"No baby, we understood completely. You have nothing to apologize for," my mom said, wiping the tears off my face, even though she hadn't stopped crying yet. She ran her fingers through my hair, pulling them back from my damp cheeks. "You have nothing to apologize for at all."

I don't know how long we stood there, holding each other and weeping, exchanging words of love.

My dad pulled himself away to look at me. "What bought this sudden change?" He asked, smoothing his hand over my hair.

I unwrapped my arms from my mother, but still gripped her hand tight, and turned my head around.

Dimitri was standing by the door, right where I left him. His face was lit up with a small, yet angelic smile that took my breath away. I saw him wiping at his eyes, probably feeling a bit emotional himself at the scene that unfolded before him.

I spoke to my parents though I continued to look at the man who had changed my life.

"Dimitri," I told them. I turned back to my parents, making sure to look them both in the eyes before repeating, "Dimitri. He's the reason why."

I didn't say anymore, because I had nothing more to really say. I turned back around to see a sheepish look come across Dimitri's face, probably feeling a bit embarrassed due to the sudden attention he was receiving.

My parents pulled away from me to approach Dimitri, and I stayed rooted at that spot.

I didn't hear what they were saying to him, but I knew it was good if their expression was anything to go by.

I continued to stand there, looking at Dimitri in complete awe and adoration. As my parents spoke to him, he glanced over at me, catching my gaze.

Though no words were exchanged between the two of us, I hoped my eyes conveyed to him just how much he meant to me.


	10. Chapter 10

**So a few important things that I need to say before you all read this chapter!**

 **First, I apologize to any Russian speakers who read this chapter for most likely butchering your beautiful language. I used google translate, which was most definitely wrong lol also the translations for the Russian sentences are bolded and in italics.**

 **Also, I did something different with Dimitri's character, and I don't if everyone will like it. I want to show both Rose and Dimitri's true character a little deeper, but I may have strayed from how Dimitri is like in the books.**

 **This was the longest chapter I ever wrote and I really hope you guys enjoy. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

Tonight was date night.

Rose and Dimitri were both a bit more jittery tonight than they had been the night of Dimitri's birthday.

For the latter, the outing seemed more casual since there were multiple people there and it was a club.

Tonight, they were going out to dinner with Adrian and Sydney, and the setting was more intimate. In private, the two had become comfortable to touch and feel each other as they pleased, but would that still be acceptable out in public?

Rose knew she was a minor and she didn't want to publicly put Dimitri in a position where he would feel uncomfortable by choosing between his career and her.

So she decided to let Dimitri take the lead tonight, and she would follow whatever he did.

She spent all day deciding on what to wear. Dimitri had told her the place was pretty nice so it would be acceptable to dress up.

She didn't really have anything that nice, most of her fancier clothes still in the old bedroom at her parent's house.

She looked through her closet until her eyes landed on a tight, black, strapless dress. She picked the material up, reminiscing about how she had gotten it for a dance her junior year, except she hadn't been around to wear it.

Tonight seemed like a good night to wear it out for the first time.

As Dimitri got dressed in his room, Rose got ready in hers.

She had straightened her hair, and loosely curled the ends. She kept her makeup incredibly simple, choosing to put on only eyeliner, mascara, and a dark, nude lipstick that paired great with her skin.

Once she put the dress on, she immediately wondered if her choice had been a mistake. The dress fit her like a glove, accentuating her curvaceous, yet toned body to perfection. It reached a little past mid-thigh, so she didn't seem too slutty in it either.

The problem with the dress was that it was strapless and sleeveless, so her cigar burns on her left clavicle and the scars on her wrists were clearly noticeable to the naked eye.

She ran her hand over the marred skin, wondering if it was too late to back out and wear something else.

Rose must've lost track of time thinking, because a knock at her bedroom door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Rose, can I come in?" Dimitri's accented voice came through the door.

Without turning away from the mirror, she answered, "Sure."

"I just wanted to see how much longer…" Dimitri trailed off, and Rose turned away from the mirror to see what caused him to not finish his sentence.

The answer had been her.

Dimitri stood stuck at the spot, his mouth open like a gaping idiot.

From her feet incased in a pair of black heels, all the way to her long, dark hair, Rose looked completely breathtaking.

"Do I look okay?" Rose asked, her previous confidence over her image completely diminishing once she saw her exposed skin.

Dimitri looked at her incredulously. "Okay? You look beautiful," he said, looking at her in complete awe.

Rose gave him a small smile, then reached her hand up to her shoulder once again.

"But you can see my scars," she pointed out, looking at her feet.

She saw Dimitri's feet walk up to her, until he was standing right in front of her.

He gently pulled her hand away, then moved her hair completely back so the marks on her shoulder were even more exposed.

"Start being proud of who you are. Don't hide yourself anymore Roza," he said sweetly, cupping her face with both hands.

"You're the only one who I'm used to looking at them."

"You're starting school in two days, consider tonight as practice."

Dimitri did have a point there, Rose thought. The faster she became comfortable in her own skin, the easier it would be in the future.

"Now let's get going before I decide to have you for dinner instead," Dimitri said, once running his heated gaze over Rose's figure.

Giggling and blushing at Dimitri's comment, she grabbed Dimitri's hand and said, "Let's go."

The Latin restaurant was big, had two floors, with low lighting, and modern décor. The place was bustling, even more so since it was the weekend.

Rose was thankful she had worn the dress she had, because she felt appropriately dressed for the restaurant. She glanced over at Dimitri, who wore a black, button-down shirt with black slacks. Rose thought he looked incredibly hot and judging by the hungry look most of the females at the place were giving him, Rose knew they agreed, too.

They sat down at a table with the couple that was dressed just as nicely as they were.

Sydney was wearing a red halter dress that complimented her petite figure perfectly, while Adrian was dressed similar to Dimitri, the only difference being that his shirt was a dark grey color.

Conversation amongst the four flowed so naturally and smoothly, that Rose seemed silly for being as nervous as she was.

"I'm going to head to the bathroom," Sydney said once they had ordered the food.

Rose got up, too. It was a universal code that girls accompanied each other to the bathroom.

As the girls went towards the restroom, Dimitri noticed two men dressed in suits leering at the women as they walked by.

Dimitri wasn't blind. He had seen the way the men at this place looked when Rose walked in, but all they did was look.

These two men in particular were looking at them differently, like animals waiting to consume their prey. The two had a few years on Dimitri, and while they didn't seem like they were out of shape, they weren't anywhere near as fit as Dimitri was.

When the girls passed by the table, they turned completely, eyes glued to their ass and legs. If that wasn't enough, one turned towards his friend and put his hands in front of his chest, clearly making gestures about Rose's ample chest.

Dimitri clenched his fist, feeling a suffocating type of anger beginning to course through his veins. He pulled at the collar of his dress shirt, literally feeling hot from the intense hatred he suddenly felt for these two strangers who were blatantly eye-fucking Rose as she walked away.

"You good?" Adrian asked, eying Dimitri's sudden change in demeanor.

Dimitri didn't respond, glaring in the direction of the two men who were oblivious to his stare.

Adrian glanced behind him to a few tables over, in the direction Dimitri was looking at to see two men laughing loudly over multiple glasses of liquor.

He turned back towards Dimitri and raised a questioning eyebrow in his direction.

"Those men were looking at the girls," he grunted out.

Adrian looked around the whole restaurant before his eyes landed back on Dimitri.

"All of the guys here have been looking at our girls," he said pointedly.

Dimitri's ears perked at Adrian's usage of 'our girls,' but ignored it for the matter at hand.

"Not like those two were," Dimitri said nodding towards the table.

Adrian glanced back again and spoke, "Then we'll keep an eye on them." Because frankly, Adrian didn't play when it came to Sydney.

Back in the bathroom, the girls were touching up their hair and makeup when Sydney spoke up.

"So how long have you and Dimitri been together?" she asked casually.

Rose's head whipped to the side to look at Sydney's honest, and very understandable question.

Rose wondered if Dimitri and her looked like a couple to those around them, because they weren't exactly trying to be.

To be fair, they weren't trying not to look like a couple either.

Sydney looked over at Rose when she noticed she hadn't yet responded.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" She asked suddenly sounding worried.

Rose shook her head and quickly said, "No, no you didn't say anything wrong." Sydney sighed in relief.

"Dimitri and I aren't together," Rose said, feeling a bit awkward.

Sydney seemed even more embarrassed than she had before and apologetically said, "Oh I'm sorry, I just assumed…" she trailed off, not really knowing how to word her thoughts. "I don't know, you guys just came off like you were together the other night and tonight."

"No need to say sorry," Rose said, waving it off. "Dimitri and I are complicated," Rose told her the simplest, yet honest thing she could.

"I get it," Sydney said. A moment later, a blush covered her cheeks and she turned back towards Rose. "I hope you don't mind, but Adrian actually mentioned what happened with you. And I don't know, I just assumed you and Dimitri became close after that, and then eventually ended up together."

Sydney didn't realize how accurately she had just worded Dimitri and Rose's situation.

"I don't mind," Rose said, and surprisingly she didn't. Though the overall topic was uncomfortable and still difficult to discuss, she knew it wasn't a secret to those around her, and she was sure that once people heard her name, they would instantly recognize her as 'that girl who'd been taken.'

So Sydney knowing, and being truthful about knowing didn't bother Rose.

She also knew that she needed to have a serious conversation with Dimitri about their relationship and where they stood. As potentially awkward and uncomfortable as it might be, they needed to discuss what they were.

Once the girls returned back to the table, both Dimitri and Adrian kept an eye out for the two men who had taken an interest in their women. As nonchalant and laid back as Adrian was, it bothered him how blatantly those two men stared at Rose and Sydney.

"Be cool," Adrian whispered towards Dimitri once the girls sat back down.

Dimitri instantly tried to relax himself, mentally and physically so Rose wouldn't be able to tell how irate Dimitri was, but she still noticed.

"You okay Comrade," she asked softly into his ear.

He turned towards her and the sight of her face alone calmed him tremendously.

He gave her a smile and nodded, telling her everything was fine.

Once the food came, they were able to momentarily forget about the two drunken patrons and focus on one another instead.  
Between Adrian and Rose's similar sense of humor to Sydney and Dimitri's mildly exasperated expression towards their dates, the four had a blast with one another.

"Rose gets me, because we're both mozzarellas in the cheese world," he said gesturing to the brunette.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Dimitri asked, utterly confused.

"Adrian and I took a buzzfeed quiz to see what type of cheese we were and we both got mozzarella," Rose responded, as if appalled that Dimitri would even need to ask.

Sydney and Dimitri shared a look of pure confusion.

"You're definitely cheddar," Adrian said, pointing towards Dimitri.

"Totally," Rose agreed.

"I feel like I should be offended," Dimitri mumbled.

Adrian finished off the rest of his drink and gestured towards the bar that was off to the right side of the restaurant.

"Want to get more?" he asked Dimitri who nodded. Both men got up and went towards the bar, as the girls continued with their conversation.

As Adrian ordered an elaborate drink Dimitri had never heard of, he heard two drunk, yet obnoxiously loud Russian voices coming closer to him.

Glancing to his left, Dimitri saw that it was the two men from earlier who had just taken temporary residence next to Dimitri at the bar.

Immediately, Dimitri scowled in their direction yet they hadn't noticed.

"Eto samyye goryachiye suki, kotoryye ya kogda-libo videl," the stockier one of the duo drunkenly said. **_Those are the hottest bitches I've ever seen_** _._

Dimitri whipped his head towards them, only to see the pair leering once again at Rose and Sydney.

"My dolzhny byli sledovat' za nimi v vannuyu," the other replied to his friend. **_We should've followed them into the bathroom._**

Dimitri was pulled out of his murderous haze when he heard Rose call his name from the table.

"Can you get me another coke, Dimitri?" she asked, smiling widely at him, and clearly enjoying her self.

He nodded towards her and turned around quickly so she wouldn't notice how pissed off he was.

Dimitri gruffly told the bartender to get him a coke and tried to calm himself down. They're just drunk men, Dimitri told himself, their harmless.

As the bartender was getting Rose's coke, he heard the stocky one speak up again.

"YA soblazn brosit' chto-to v napitok, yesli vy ponimayete, chto ya imeyu v vidu **."** ** _I'm tempted to drop something into the drink, if you know what I mean_** **.** The man who said that produced a handful of pills for his friend to see, showing him just how serious he was.

The anger Dimitri felt before was nothing to what he felt now. He was burning with rage and it took everything in him not to turn around and punch both men then and there.

He also realized that the two had absolutely no clue Dimitri could understand every crude and disgusting thing they were telling each other in Russian.

Dimitri saw that as a good thing, because he was easily able to listen into what they were saying without the two having the slightest idea.

The bartender handed Dimitri the drink and he quickly grabbed it with his right hand, and kept it by his side, completely away from the two perverts.

As he waited for Adrian to finish up, the men continued to speak back and forth.

"Odin v chernom vyglyadit tak, kak budto lyubit petukh. YA by sdelal vse, chtoby sognut' eto." **_The one in the black looks like she loves cock. I would do anything to bend that one over._**

The stocky one had clearly taken an interest in Rose, while the other taller individual was torn between both girls.

"Da, no boleye tonkiy, veroyatno, imeyet boleye zhestkuyu kisku. Khotya mne by khotelos' uvidet' sis'ki na drugoy suke." **_Yeah but the tinier one probably has a tighter pussy. Though I would love to see the tits on the other bitch._**

On and on they went, angering Dimitri to the point where he was surprised the glass in his hand hadn't shattered at the intensity of his hold on it. He could feel his hands shaking to the point where some of the coke fell over the rim, making his hand wet.

Over the red, hot rage coursing through his veins, he heard his name being called.

"Dimitri, I said your name like 5 times," Adrian said, noticing Dimitri's stiff posture and clenched jaw. He lifted his glass for Dimitri to see. "I got my drink, let's get back to the girls."

Dimitri swallowed deeply, once again feeling like he was suffocating and pulled himself away from the bar. He didn't know how he was going to hide his expression from Rose this time around.

The two men approached the table and sat down. Dimitri slid the drink over to Rose, refusing to meet her confused and worried gaze. He looked towards the bar again, just in time to see both men pulling out packs of cigarettes from their pockets and heading out.

He abruptly stood up, catching the attention of all three people at the table.

"Didn't you say you needed a smoke?" Dimitri said, tucking his chair in, all ready to go outside even if Adrian refused.

Adrian scrunched his eyebrows together and asked, "Now? I just got my drink." Dimitri only nodded.

Though Dimitri and Adrian were polar opposites, he knew his cousin well enough to know that Dimitri wouldn't just make an excuse like that if it wasn't important.

Adrian stood up, too and gave his girlfriend a reassuring peck on the lips and told her he'd be right back. Dimitri pretended he hadn't seen Rose look in his direction, wanting to know what was wrong.

The two men walked outside, as Adrian pulled out a cigarette from his pocket.

"What's this about Dimitri?" Adrian asked, lighting up his cigarette.

Dimitri shook his head, and said, "Just needed some fresh air."

Adrian looked warily at Dimitri, who himself was looking at the area around him, clearly searching for something.

There were people in front of the restaurant and a whole crowd across the street, where a popular bar was located.

Dimitri turned to his right, where Adrian was standing, and looked a little further down to finally spot who he was looking for.

The drunken bastards were at the mouth of an alley, completely unoccupied by the rest of the city-goers.

Dimitri approached the two, completely ignoring Adrian asking him where he was going.

All he saw when he looked at them was what they wanted to do to Rose. _His Roza._

For the first time that night, the two men finally acknowledged Dimitri's presence.

And despite the fact that they seemed to truly be noticing him for the first time, they couldn't ignore the murderous look that had taken over the 6'7" stranger's face, that seemed to be fast approaching them.

In trying to stay clear of Dimitri, the two men had inadvertently pushed themselves further into the alley, much to Dimitri's pleasure.

Dimitri stopped in front of the two and looked at the tall one, who had seemed interested in both Rose and Sydney.

"Did you call an ambulance for you and your friend?"

The two shared confused, yet worried glances with one another.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his accent coming out thick.

"YA pokazhu tebe." **_I'll show you_** _._

As Dimitri said those three words in Russian, the men had come to the realization that he not only spoke the language, but also understood exactly what they had said.

Before they could even blink, Dimitri was on them.

All of the anger that had been coursing through his veins and making him feel as if he couldn't breath had finally taken over as Dimitri took turns pummeling both men with his fists. Even if they had been sober, they wouldn't stand a chance against Dimitri.

Dimitri had only ever lost control of his rage like this once in his life and that was when he fought his own father at the age of thirteen. The rage he felt right now was making him blind and he only had one goal in mind, which was to kill both of these men for speaking the way they had about Rose.

They were pleading and calling for help, but they were in an alley, in the city on a Saturday night. No one could hear them.

It didn't take long for both men to fall onto the floor as Dimitri went back and forth between the two, yet focusing most of his anger on the stocky one who wanted to drug Rose.

He didn't know how long he beat them for, it could've been seconds or it could've been minutes, before he felt a pair of lean arms wrap around his waist and pull him back.

Dimitri pulled against the body that was trying to stop him, before the voice belonging to the person finally made its way past Dimitri's rage and into his ear.

"Enough Dimitri, enough!" Adrian screamed, moving himself in front of Dimitri and shoving him back.

Dimitri tried moving past Adrian, but he wouldn't have it and pushed against his cousin even harder.

"What the fuck man, enough already!"  
Though Dimitri still shook with anger, he was able to listen to Adrian long enough to stop fighting him.

Adrian glanced back at the bloody and groaning bodies of the two men behind him, fear taking over his features.

"What the fuck Dimitri?" Adrian repeated. He had never in his life seen Dimitri like this. The men worked with criminals on a day-to-day basis, many who did and said everything they could to get under their skin; and Adrian could easily admit that he had never seen Dimitri come even close to looking as pissed off and scary as he did right now.

Dimitri's chest was heaving, more from the anger then the physical exertion he had just put himself through. And with each breath he took, he became more and more aware of what he had just done.

Glancing down at his own hands, he saw they were cut and bloodied, with his blood or theirs, he didn't know. He looked at his hands in shock and fear, as if it was his first time seeing them.

Adrian saw Dimitri's demeanor change once again, switching from indignation to complete and utter shame and fear.

He approached him slowly and carefully, "Dimitri, what the hell was that?"

Dimitri shook his head, and wiped his hands on his pants, silently thanking God he had worn black so no blood showed on his clothes.

"Nothing, let's go."

"With all due respect, what you did back there" he said gesturing to the two men, who were still groaning from the dirty pavement, "is not nothing."  
Dimitri turned away, needing to get away from the alley and those men quickly, before he decided to finish what he started.

"Leave it," he said gruffly.

Adrian gripped Dimitri's arm hard, halting his movements.

"Is this all because of how they looked at Rose and Sydney?" Adrian asked, incredulously,

"They wanted to drug her," Dimitri said, speaking low. He could feel himself getting angry again and had to force himself not to look at the two men in fear that the sight of them would make Dimitri go back into the alley.

"What?" Adrian asked, shocked.

Dimitri nodded, "They wanted to drug her and talked about how they were going to fuck our girls," Dimitri growled out, repeating Adrian's usage of 'our girls.'

Adrian never got mad, but right now, he was livid.

"I'll be right back," he said, turning away to walk back into the alley. Dimitri saw him crouch down and speak with the two men, though he couldn't hear a word he said.

He turned away, and tried to calm himself down. He didn't want to scare Rose, because to be completely honest, Dimitri was terrified of himself right now.

He prided himself on being cool and collected. He rarely ever let his emotions get the best of him, so for him to reach this level of anger, and do something as reckless and dangerous as beating two men up in a place so public, while working in law enforcement, was both stupid and completely unlike Dimitri.

And as much as he wanted to regret what he did, he couldn't.

He would do that over and over again if he had to. He would do that just for Rose.

Adrian came back a few moments later, his posture as stiff as Dimitri's.

"We're good," he said, walking back towards the restaurant, with Dimitri by his side.

"What do you mean?"

"I flashed them my badge and told them I had them on tape saying they were going to drug a minor," Adrian shrugged as Dimitri pulled the door to the restaurant back open. "All I know is, they slipped and fell in the alley," Adrian said, smirking towards Dimitri.

The two approached the girls and Dimitri looked down at himself to make sure nothing from his outfit looked out of place.

The girls didn't seem surprised to see them back after so long and it was only until Dimitri glanced at his watch that he noticed Adrian and him were outside for no more than 5 minutes.

Damn, he did a lot of damage in that time.

"Baby, I'm tired," Adrian said, once again coming to Dimitri's rescue. He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to sit there with them, pretending like nothing was wrong when he knew how close those two men were and how easy it was for Dimitri to finish them.

"But we haven't had dessert," Sydney said, slightly pouting in Adrian's direction.

He leaned down, and whispered something Dimitri and Rose luckily couldn't hear. A deep blush covered the blonde's cheeks as she playfully pushed against her boyfriend's chest.

"Adrian," she gasped. It was cute to see someone like Sydney, who seemed like such a serious individual, become so girly and frazzled, because of Adrian.

Whatever Adrian had said convinced Sydney, so the four got ready to leave. The boys paid the bill, and as they waited for the waiter to bring their cards back, Rose leaned towards Dimitri.

"Are you okay, Comrade?" she asked, worry clear in her voice. She noticed that Dimitri's mood seemed completely off, and wondered if it was because of her.

Dimitri had his hands shoved into his pockets, so Rose wouldn't notice the bruises and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just a bit tired."

Rose didn't believe a word he said and Dimitri knew it. He also knew that most of her worry must be due to doubt she had in herself so he leaned over and kissed the edge of her mouth, just missing her lips. He pulled his right hand out, but quickly placed it behind Rose's back so she wouldn't see it.

He pulled her towards his chest and leaned towards her ear and whispered truthfully, "You really do look so beautiful right now."

A light blush covered Rose's cheek, not only because of his public display of affection, but also the compliment he paid her. In school, she was so used to guys referring to her as hot or sexy. But Dimitri had been the first guy to ever call her beautiful, and when he said it, she truly believed him.

He leaned further down, brushing his lips against her left clavicle, over her marred skin, and pulled back once the waiter handed him his card.

Rose smiled softly, though Dimitri hadn't seen. Just the fact that he paid extra attention to the parts of Rose that she felt self-conscious about completely melted her heart.

The couples said their goodbyes once they reached their cars and after promising to do this again really soon, they both departed and went to their homes.

Once Rose and Dimitri got back to their place, Rose immediately chucked her uncomfortable heels off by the front door and made her way to the kitchen.

"I don't know about you Comrade, but I really wanted some dessert," she said, looking through the cabinets and refrigerator for something sweet to eat.

Dimitri watched with a smile on his face, as Rose navigated through the kitchen, pulling out item after item, and making herself an ice cream sundae.

Putting a spoonful of the sugary concoction in her mouth, she moaned out loud, sparking an arousal within Dimitri.

"You sure you don't want some Comrade?" Rose asked, though with the speed she was eating, he doubted she actually wanted to share.

He chuckled and shook his head, saying no he didn't

Rose shrugged her shoulders and said, "Your loss."

When she was finished, she placed the bowl on the counter so she could push herself out of her seat. Slightly losing her balance once she got up, Rose's hand accidently swiped the bowl towards the edge of the island, before Dimitri caught it, saving it from shattering all over the floor.

He handed the bowl to Rose, who looked impressed at Dimitri's quick reflexes.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing the bowl from his hand. As she did, her left hand brushed against his knuckles and he quietly winced.

Rose immediately picked up on the sound.

"What happened?" she said, slightly alarmed.

Dimitri shook his head, shoving his hand back into his pocket.

He had been so careful all the way home, making sure his hands didn't stray from the steering wheel. He had momentarily forgotten that he meant to hide his bruised knuckles when he saw the bowl about to fall.  
Rose wasn't buying Dimitri's denial, just like she hadn't been buying his half-assed "I'm okay" that he had been saying to her all night.

She put the bowl down and grabbed his hand, pulling it out of his pocket.

Rose's eyes widened and she immediately gasped at what she saw. Fresh cuts lined Dimitri's slightly swollen knuckles, and as Rose looked closely, she could see some dried blood on them, as well. She quickly pulled his other hand out of his pocket, too only to see that it looked just as worse as the other one.

She looked at Dimitri, eyebrows furrowed, and concern masking her features.

"What happened?"

Dimitri just shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

"This isn't nothing Dimitri, just look at your hands!" she exclaimed.

Rose looked at Dimitri expectantly, waiting for him to say something.

"Well, what happened?" she asked. "Don't lie to me either. Those marks weren't on your hand before we left."

The longer she waited for Dimitri to answer, the deeper her frown became. Dimitri was clearly ashamed at whatever he had done, because he refused to look Rose in the eyes.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Rose said, "You know what, forget it. I thought we were close enough to be honest with each other but I guess not." Rose began walking away from Dimitri, to go upstairs. She was hurt that he couldn't be honest with her despite all they had done and shared with one another.

Rose needed to go around Dimitri to leave the kitchen. Just as she was about to pass him, she felt his rough hand grip her arm, halting her movements.

A flare of annoyance shot through Rose and she was about to tell Dimitri where he could shove that hand when he finally spoke.

"These guys at the restaurant were talking about you," he told her, though his head was still bent, refusing to look at her.

Rose turned as much as she could towards Dimitri, considering he still had a hold on her arm.

"What guys? What did they say?" she questioned.

Dimitri let out a deep sigh, wondering if he should tell her the details. He finally let go of Rose to run a frustrated hand through his hair.

"I'm trying to understand you Dimitri," Rose said, noticing Dimitri's frustration. "Please, just talk to me."

Dimitri finally looked at Rose before he spoke.

"Those two guys in the suits. They were speaking inappropriately about you girls, you in particular."

Rose looked at him slightly confused, "I didn't hear anything."

"That's because they were speaking in Russian."

A bit of understanding took over her features and she asked, "The one who called me suka?"

Dimitri looked at her in surprise. "You know what that means?"

"Not really," Rose said shrugging, "but Nathan was Russian and he said it enough when he was mad at me that I know it can't be something good."

Dimitri's eyebrows furrowed together and he could feel that earlier rage filling him up again. He looked away from Rose so she wouldn't see how angry he was getting, but she could tell.

He felt her delicate hand brush up against his clenched fist, wordlessly urging him to loosen his stiff muscles.

"Did you get into a fight with them, because they called me names?" She asked becoming a bit wary over how quickly Dimitri lost his cool over something as ridiculous as that.

"I was going to let it go, maybe curse them out at most, but…" he trailed off.

"But what?" Rose urged.

"They said something about slipping a pill into your drink." Dimitri looked straight into Rose's eyes as he spoke and though his voice was low, she could tell he was getting angrier by the second.

"They discussed in detail which one was going to take you in what way. They laughed about it, like it was a fucking joke." Dimitri shook his head, trying not to loose his cool in front of Rose of all people, though he wanted nothing more than to go back to that restaurant and finish what he had started with those men.

Rose went a bit pale in the face. She couldn't catch a break. Wherever she turned, there seemed to be a creep just waiting to take advantage of her.

"So what did you do?" She asked quietly, hesitation and worry clear in her voice.

"I followed them outside and beat them up," he said, as simply as he could. "Adrian was there to stop me from taking it too far." And thank God for that, considering how much damage he had done in those few minutes it took for Adrian to finally pull Dimitri off of those men.

Rose took a slight step back from Dimitri and he immediately noticed. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it shocked her to her core to see that because of her, a man as calm and collected as Dimitri had been bought to such a state.

But there was something she needed to know.

"What if Adrian hadn't stopped you?" she whispered, almost afraid to know the answer.

For the first time since they had come back home, Dimitri looked at Rose without an ounce of shame lining his features. He took a step towards Rose and looked deep into her eyes, so she knew how serious he was about what he was going to say. And then he truthfully told her.

"I would have killed them. For you Rose, I would kill anyone."

Rose gasped out loud at Dimitri's brutal honesty. Here was a man that had taken her in to protect her and he had essentially done just that, but what he had done tonight went beyond the promise he had made her parents to protect her.

As she looked at Dimitri, she noticed that she had never seen him as exposed as she did just then. Sure she had seen him down to his boxers before, but this was different.

She could see on his face how serious he was about committing murder for the sake of her.

And as she stood in front of this man- who was clearly capable of serious violence- and contemplated everything he just said, Rose couldn't help but feel safe.

Many months ago, another man had killed people, because of Rose and that alone should have had her running fast and far from Dimitri. But the difference was, Nathan did what he did to instill fear in Rose. He did it for himself.

What Dimitri had done tonight was for Rose and Rose alone.

Rose stepped close to Dimitri so their chests brushed together.

"You would really do that?" She asked in wonderment, becoming breathless by Dimitri's close proximity and the scent of his aftershave filling her senses.  
Dimitri's eyes darkened and he gripped Rose's chin in his large hand. Lowering his voice, he answered, "For you Rose, I would do anything," before crashing his lips against hers.

Rose felt disgusted, but only at herself.

She couldn't help but feel aroused at Dimitri's admission. Was she a fucked up person, she thought, for being so turned on by a man who had just told her he would kill for her.

As Dimitri pushed his mouth harder onto Rose's, urging her to kiss him back, Rose finally decided that she didn't care.

Yeah, she was fucked up, but Dimitri did what he did for her. For once in her life, she felt completely and utterly safe, and if it made her a bad person that some scum piece's of shits who joked about drugging and raping her got beat up, then so be it.

Though they hadn't established what they were, Rose knew in her heart that Dimitri was her man and his actions tonight proved all that he would do for her.

So with that thought, Rose finally began kissing Dimitri back. Her hands found home in his silky hair, as she pushed herself completely against him. He groaned into the kiss at the feel of Rose's body molded against his and ran his tongue over the seam of her lips, begging for entry.

Rose immediately responded, their tongues and breath mingling together. They had kissed one another a few times before, but no kiss had been as hungry and desperate as this one.  
They didn't speak anymore on the incident between Dimitri and those men, nor about what Dimitri just admitted to Rose. Instead, they poured all of their emotions and feelings into their kiss.

Pulling back slightly, Rose looked at Dimitri with lust and another emotion, one they weren't ready to admit just yet, despite all they had been through together. She grabbed onto his shirt and walked them backwards until her back hit the kitchen island. Dimitri wordlessly followed Rose, his eyes darkening with lust as each second ticked by.

Rose hoisted herself up onto the counter, than pulled the hem of her dress up so it rested just below her bottom.

Lowering her voice, Rose was sure she had never said something so seductively to another man before.

"I think it's time for your dessert," she whispered, before lying down and opening her legs for a hungry Dimitri.


	11. Chapter 11

**So I know most of you wanted me to continue with the smut I left off on, but I had an idea in mind for a flashback scene so I'm sorry to disappoint lol. Don't worry though, because I have so much smut planned for this story.**

 **The part in italics is all apart of Rose's flashback. I wanted to show a bit of her time with Nathan. Also, I apologize for taking so long to update and making this chapter short, but I promise to update soon!**

 **Let me know what you think and hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

 _Flashback_

 _Not everyone I had encountered here had been horrible to me. Some of Nathan's regular employees would look at me in a mixture of pity and regret, torn between wanting to help me or facing Nathan's wrath._

 _The one thing we all took into account was how conniving and vicious Nathan truly was._

 _And I hadn't come to that realization when Nathan kidnapped me. I hadn't even realized that when Nathan forced himself on me for the first time even though I was begging him to stop._

 _No. The first time I accepted how evil Nathan truly was, was the day he killed Inna in front of me._

 _Inna had been there long before I had, and actually seemed happy being there. She was a petite and young Russian girl who paraded around in a maid's outfit all day long._

 _The biggest difference between Inna and I was that she chose to be there, because she was in love with Nathan._

 _I could tell by the adoring looks she gave him and the hateful glares she threw my way, how much it upset her that Nathan chose me over her._

 _But I assumed at least half of the love stemmed from her addiction to cocaine that Nathan regularly and happily provided Inna with._

 _Inna always threw verbal jabs my way, which I ignored, because I couldn't care less about her obsession with him. She would constantly try to make me jealous anytime Nathan went to her bed, rather than sleeping with me, not caring how immensely pleased I would be every time he stayed the hell away from me._

 _I thought she was pathetic and chose to stay clear of her at all times._

 _It wasn't until two months into my captivity- when Inna realized that Nathan, in his own sick and twisted way, had feelings for me -that I truly felt sorry for her for the first time._

 _Nathan and I had been having dinner and talking about our day. Correction, Nathan was eating and talking, while I was sitting still, completely mute, and refusing to touch my food._

 _It was an everyday occurrence. He always thought that I would 'come around' and accept my new life, but that never happened._

 _"So what did you do today?" he asked, after he finished telling me some story about selling to a woman named Galina._

 _I didn't answer, choosing to completely ignore him and the question he asked._

 _Nathan cleared his throat, "I asked you a question and it is rude not to answer. Now let me repeat myself, what did you do today?" he questioned, his voice harder and colder than it had been a moment ago._

 _I still didn't answer and kept my head down. Not even a moment later, I heard his chair scraping back and before I had the chance to move, he backhanded me across my face, knocking me completely out of my seat._

 _My ear was ringing from the impact of his hit and without even wanting to, I began to weep from the pain._

 _I saw his feet coming towards me and flinched, moving myself away from him until my back hit the wall._

 _"Please don't," I murmured, holding my cheek and cowering away from him._

 _Nathan kneeled in front of me and the rage and anger I expected to see were completely gone from his face. Instead, he looked at me with regret._

 _"You think I like doing this to you?" he asked, shaking his head. "You make me turn into a monster Rose, you do."_

 _I didn't say anything, and swiped at my eyes to wipe the tears away._

 _Nathan's hand moved towards my face and I willed myself not to move away in fear of getting hit once again._

 _"I don't like hurting you, but you turn me into a monster."_

 _This was a monologue he constantly spewed. He would hit me, than blame me for getting him upset._

 _"Let's call it a night, we both let our emotions get in the way of dinner," he said. I internally scoffed at his statement._

 _"Inna get in here and clean up the plates," Nathan bellowed in the direction of the kitchen doors._

 _There was a rule in the house that the food should always be ready and on Nathan's plate before he even entered the room and anyone who was in the kitchen had to wait until Nathan was finished dinner and left, for them to come in and start cleaning up the mess._

 _Inna came rushing in not even a second later, wearing her small maid's outfit that concealed only her most intimate parts._

 _Nathan paid her no mind, even though she worked slowly, trying to catch his attention, but his focus, as always, was only on me._

 _"I love you my wife even though you ruined dinner. Now come on, let's go to bed."_

 _My attention was pulled away from Nathan when I heard a plate drop and break into small pieces all across the floor. Nathan and I looked over at Inna, who was staring at us, her mouth agape and eyes shining with unshed tears._

 _"What the fuck, Inna?" Nathan sneered in her direction._

 _That seemed to pull her out of her daze, and she immediately dropped to the floor, picking up the broken pieces of glass._

 _"Sorry sir," she whispered, avoiding eye contact with the both of us. I looked at her perplexed._

 _It was no secret that Inna and I never got along, but at that moment I genuinely felt sorry for her. It was also the moment where I realized how much she truly cared about Nathan. So hearing the man she loved say he loved someone else must've been hard for her._

 _I looked back and forth between the two, noticing Nathan had stopped paying attention to her, turning back towards me._

 _He pulled me up and led me out of the kitchen. As we were about to leave the dining hall, I looked back once more to see Inna wiping the tears off her cheeks._

 _The next morning, I was hesitant in leaving the room. Nathan had left early for business and wasn't expected back until the next morning. Usually I had no problem walking around the place when Nathan wasn't around, because I kept my expression so stoic and serious, that no one, aside from Inna, would bother approaching me._

 _Today though, I was nervous to face her._

 _I made my way to the kitchen to see she was already there, wiping off the kitchen counter._

 _Now usually, the sight of me would cause her to splay out some rude or sarcastic comment, but today, she was completely silent._

 _I walked around slowly, making myself something small to eat._

 _I usually welcomed the silence, but it felt so uncomfortable in the kitchen, that I was actually wishing that she would say something rude, instead of ignoring me._

 _She worked around me in the kitchen, staying quiet and avoiding eye contact with me._

 _"Are you okay?" I finally asked her._

 _She stayed silent for a while, before answering. "I'm fine."_

 _I nodded, though she couldn't see since her back was towards me. I should've just left it at that. I didn't owe anyone in this place anything, but I don't know what possessed me to keep talking to her._

 _"What you saw yesterday…. It's not what it looks like," I told her. It was pretty comical really. On more than one occasion, Nathan had forced his tongue down my throat or groped me in front of Inna. But his caring side and admission of love to me seemed to be what actually hurt her._

 _"I know what I saw," she said, finally turning around and looking at me for the first time that morning. Her eyes were bloodshot and there were visible bags under her eyes. She had been up all night crying._

 _"No you don't-"_

 _"I love him," she shouted, cutting me off. The sudden change in her voice caused me to take a step back._

 _She threw the hand towel she had just been cleaning with on the floor, and plopped down onto the seat at the kitchen island. I could see her struggling to keep her tears at bay, but there was no use because they were already streaming down her cheeks.  
I was stunned into silence. This was not an emotion I thought Inna would ever feel comfortable sharing with me. _

_"You don't get it. I try so hard to make him happy, but he doesn't even care."_

 _"Then stop trying," I replied. I will always be confused to how a human being could actually care about someone like Nathan._

 _Inna shook her head, some pieces of her hair sticking to her wet cheeks._

 _"I can't, I can't," she said. Before I could say anything else, she continued. "He's all I have here. He bought me here from Russia 3 years ago. I have no one else."_

 _My eyes widened in surprise. I had only been here about two months and it felt like a lifetime. I couldn't imagine what three years here would feel like._

 _"You shouldn't let that hold you back. You seem like a smart girl. I'm sure you'll be able to find a job once you leave."_

 _She suddenly glared at me, her demeanor changing once again._

 _"You would love that, wouldn't you? Having Nathan all to yourself."_

 _I quickly shook my head, dismissing her inaccurate statement._

 _"I love him, you don't! It should be me that shares his bed with him. It should be me that he refers to as his wife!" She screeched, angry tears continuing to roll down her cheeks._

 _"I agree," I said softly, trying to make her understand that I wasn't against her in this._

 _She swiped at her cheeks, her heavily coated makeup smearing under her eyes as she did._

 _"I wish you weren't even here," she said._

 _"So do I," I said immediately._

 _She looked over at me, her eyebrows scrunching together. Inna looked at me questioningly, not saying anything for a while. She looked me over contemplating something before she finally spoke again._

 _"I can get you out of here," Inna whispered._

 _My head shot up in her direction and I looked at her in shock._

 _"What?" I asked, needing for her to repeat herself._

 _"I said, I could get you out of here." She looked around to make sure we really were alone before continuing to speak. "I know all of the codes in this place, and when each guard takes his leave for the next set of guards to take their shifts. There's always a 1-minute window where there is no one outside of those doors. I can get you out of here."_

 _I was speechless. After the first month, I had completely given up hope of ever leaving this place alive. And now, Inna was telling me that not only was there a way out, but that she would help me escape._

 _I know she didn't have my best interest in heart when she suggested this and was only willing to get me out of here so she could have Nathan all to herself. But I didn't care what her motives were. Her and Nathan could ride off into the sunset on a fucking unicorn for all I cared. I just wanted to get out of here._

 _"When?" I asked urgently. "When?"_

 _"Tomorrow," she said, her eyes glinting mischievously._

 _For the first time since my captivity, I had hope. Hope that I would finally be free._

 _Inna and I got lucky that Nathan was away that night or I was sure he would be able to spot the difference in my demeanor. I knew I should prepare for the worst, but I was borderline giddy to get the show on the road._

 _Inna said that after breakfast, Nathan would go take a shower and the guards would be switching shifts._

 _Right down the hall from Nathan's loft was an emergency exit that I could take all the way down, leading to the right side of the building._

 _All I needed to do was make it outside, where other civilians were and I would be free._

 _All night, I stayed up, too nervous to fall asleep. It was close to 6 in the morning when I felt even slightly tired, but Nathan was due back anytime now and he liked to have his breakfast at 7 a.m. sharp so there was no point in falling asleep._

 _I showered, and dressed in a simple jeans and button down shirt before making my way to the dining hall, where Nathan usually ate._

 _As I entered, the sight in front of me caused me to stop dead in my tracks and made my blood run cold._

 _Before my eyes was Nathan, who was casually eating his breakfast at the head of the table, and on the floor was a bloody and beaten Inna._

 _He found out. He didn't need to look at me or say a word. I knew he found out._

 _I couldn't move my feet even if I wanted to. I was stuck by the entrance of the dining hall, extreme guilt and fear coursing through my veins at the sight of Inna._

 _"Do you know what I hate, Rose?" Nathan's calm, icy voice rang out in the quiet room._

 _I didn't answer, any and all words that I could have said stuck in my throat._

 _Nathan finally looked over at me, his bright blue eyes boring a hole into my soul._

 _He put down his utensils, and wiped his mouth off. He was taking his time on purpose, making me sweat and fidget in anticipation._

 _He finally got up from his seat, and walked over to me, completely ignoring the unconscious girl on the floor._

 _"Let me repeat myself Rose, I said do you know what I hate the most?"_

 _By now, he was standing a foot away from me, his tall and lean body towering over mine._

 _I gulped out loud and shook my head, not trusting my voice at the moment._

 _"I hate liars," he said, leaning down so his face was leveled with mine._

 _"You think I don't know what goes on here when I'm not home. I have eyes and ears everywhere Rose."_

 _He gestured towards Inna, but still kept his eyes on me. "Look at what your betrayal has done to Inna."_

 _I gulped hard and finally spoke._

 _"I, I'm sorry. It wasn't her fault, it was my idea." I spoke, my voice trembling. I always showed Nathan an attitude, but this was the first time I was truly afraid of him._

 _Nathan shook his head and lightly growled. "There you go lying again Rose. I know it was her idea. She tried to take you away from me," he said, bringing his cold, clammy hand up to caress my face._

 _Though his voice and touch were gentle, the words he spewed and his expression were the complete opposite._

 _"It won't happen again," I said folding my hands in front of him, and pleading. "I promise, we won't do anything like this again."_

 _He started to chuckle in front of me and looked at me like I was a child he was speaking down to._

 _"Oh I know you both won't do this again." Suddenly, the hand that had been caressing my face gripped my hair tight and yanked my head back._

 _A yelp escaped from my lips caused by the burning sensation against my scalp. I tried to claw his hand away, but the more I attempted to loosen his hold on my hair, the tighter his grip became._

 _He dragged me over to where Inna was and held me to his side, forcing me to look down at her body._

 _Nathan reached into his back pocket and pulled something out. I felt his lips brush against my ear as he said, "Just remember Rose, you did this."_

 _I saw Nathan raise his left hand, which was now holding a gun._

 _Before I had a chance to blink, a shot rang out in the room as a bullet pierced through Inna's skull, right between her eyes._

 _A loud, wailing noise was echoing throughout the room and it wasn't until a moment later that I realized the sound was coming from me. I had never seen something so gruesome in my life, as I looked at chunks of Inna's brain and blood splattered across the white carpet._

 _I could feel bile rise in my throat and tried to look away from the bloody sight in front of me, but Nathan wouldn't let me._

 _"She loved you," I sobbed out. My shoulders were shaking as tears streaked down my cheeks. I looked at Nathan and repeated. "She loved you."_

 _"But I love you Rose. Look what I did for you. Look what your betrayal caused me to do." Nathan said, his eyes becoming more and more crazed._

 _I shook my head, finally pulling myself away from Nathan. I wrapped my arms around my stomach and fell to my knees, as if that would protect me from what I just witnessed._

 _If only I had denied Inna. If only I had told her we shouldn't go through with the idea, and then maybe she would still be alive. She would be alive and I wouldn't have been the reason for her brutal death._

 _I could feel panic rising within me as my breath came in quick and shallow pants. I pulled at the collar of my shirt, suddenly feeling as if I was suffocating. I could smell the copper from Inna's blood filling my nostrils, as guilt over her death swirled within me, causing me to physically become sick._

 _Nathan kneeled in front of me and gripped my head tight in his hold so I had no other choice but to look at him._

 _"I love you my wife, I did this for you," he said, before pushing me onto my back and forcing himself on me, 2 feet away from Inna's cold and lifeless body._

 _End of Flashback_

I shook myself out of the memory and bought myself back to the present, to Dimitri's room.

That memory still haunts me to this day. Inna wasn't the last person Nathan had killed in front of me, claiming to have done it for his love for me, but she was certainly the most traumatic one.

I looked down at my bare chest, where Dimitri was currently nestled in between my breasts, sleeping. He looked so content, all types of stress cleared from his face. I ran my fingers lightly through his hair, so as not to disrupt his sleep. Leaning down, I placed a small kiss on the top of his head and inhaled his scent.

I pulled back and contemplated the events of the night once again.

I couldn't help but draw parallels to Nathan and Dimitri, though it was clear in my mind how different the two individuals were from one another.

Nathan got off from the fear he instilled in me. The more people he killed in front of my eyes, the more I became frightened of him. He loved to make me feel guilty over the people he killed, and even though I knew he was the sole cause of it, Nathan always succeeded in making me feel like I was the reason for their death.

Nathan was a worthless, lost cause. The only thing that could save his soul now was death.

But Dimitri was the opposite. He was pure, and good, and believed in doing the right thing. He risked his life everyday, ridding the world of criminals like Nathan, and making the streets a safer place.

He even took me in, a complete stranger, just because my dad had appealed to his kind-hearted nature in wanting me to be protected.

Could I be the reason Dimitri turned the other way when it came to what was right and wrong?

Nathan always said I was the reason he would turn into a monster, but that statement didn't affect me in the slightest because he was already a horrific human being when I met him.

But I turned Dimitri into a monster tonight. He almost killed two men over me. Wasn't that something a monster would do?

I looked over at his hands that were splayed by his side, and could see, even in the dark, the small cuts that littered his knuckles.

I picked up his right hand with my left one, reminiscing about the pleasure he gave my body tonight.

As I had lifted my dress up to my butt, Dimitri had dragged the top of it down so the material rested on my hips. His bruised hands rid my body of my bra and panties, before finally bringing his mouth down to where I needed him most.

He was thorough, yet relentless, licking and teasing me.

The same hands that caused two individuals physical pain tonight, cupped and fondled my breasts with such gentleness, that it caused me to physically ache for him.

The same man that came close to killing tonight, was the same man that realized how uncomfortable the kitchen island must be for my bare back, so he carried me all the way to bed, where his tongue continued to make patterns on my sex until I was a breathless, writhing mess.

The same mouth that had said he felt no shame in committing murder was the same mouth that kissed mine so slowly and deeply, that I didn't know where he began and I ended.

So as selfish as it was of me, I didn't want to let Dimitri go. I had lived so long in self-despair and darkness that I wasn't ready to give up my one source of light.

The night Dimitri had kissed and pleased my naked body for the first time, I had told him that I enjoyed the sexual feelings I felt towards him in the club.

Those weren't the only feelings he was bringing to life within me. I felt protected, I felt beautiful, and after so long, I finally felt happy.

I should've been frightened by this immense happiness, though, because it wouldn't last long. It never does.


	12. Chapter 12

**So this chapter is a long and eventful one. It's going to be switching back and forth between Rose and Dimitri's POV. I didn't want it to be 3rd person, because I felt like I needed to show what they were feeling in their own voice.**

 **Also, I apologize in advance if this chapter is a bit confusing. The parts of the letters will all be italicized. This story might seem a bit fast paced and thats because it is lol I would be shocked if it goes past 20 chapters but we'll see when the time comes.**

 **This chapter will also hint at something (*cough* Light BDSM *cough*) I might explore between Rose and Dimitri so I would like to know if you all would be into that idea.**

 **I also started working on the next chapter of She-Wolf so I will try to put that chapter out soon, as well.**

 **Please let me know what you think of this chapter and enjoy! :)**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

 **Rose POV**

8 months later and I was finally going back to school.

To say I was anxious and unprepared was an understatement. I tugged at my skirt, once again realizing how much I despise St. Vlad's uniforms.

I wasn't ready for the amount of stares and questions I knew I would receive upon my return.

But I had a few months to prepare. It was now or never.

With that thought, I looked over myself in the mirror one last time, grabbed my book bag, and made my way downstairs.

I walked into the kitchen where Dimitri already had breakfast prepared. He was pouring himself a cup of coffee with his back turned towards me.

"Ready for your first day," he asked, turning around with his cup halfway to his mouth. He stopped though, his eyes widening slightly. He reached behind him to put the cup down without taking his eyes off of me. Dimitri's eyes raked across my entire body, taking in my white button down shirt, dark blue cardigan and skirt, stockings and flats. I fidgeted once again, his gaze causing my skin to heat up.

"I know, I know, I hate the uniform, too," I said, tugging once again at the skirt that only reached mid-thigh. His eyes snapped back to mine once I spoke.

"You look good," he spoke, clearing his throat. "I mean, it looks good," he repeated, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes continued to roam across my body.

"Don't tell me you have a school girl fantasy comrade," I said jokingly, though I seemed to have hit a nerve. Dimitri's eyes widened again and a slight blush covered his cheeks.

He does have a schoolgirl fantasy!

Feeling bold with this newfound information, I slowly moved towards Dimitri, eyeing him up and down just like he did to me.

Dimitri could see where I was headed and tried to thwart my advances.

"Rose," he warned, putting up his palms and gesturing for me to stop. "It's your first day, you don't want to be late."

I ran my hands slowly across my thighs, slightly raising the skirt that I had been tugging down all morning,

"You like me wearing this uniform Dimitri," I asked, lowering my voice. I hadn't even touched him yet, but I was already breathless.

I moved closer to Dimitri, caging him between my body and the kitchen counter. I pressed my whole body against his and could feel how rigid he was. His hands were clenched by his sides and he sounded out of breath. His eyes were darkening from lust the more I provoked him.

I reached for his fists, urging him to unclench his hands. I definitely had a thing for his hands. From the combination of his job and constantly working out, he had rough and strong hands that contrasted perfectly with my soft and smooth skin.

I placed my hands on top of his and guided them slowly from my hips, up towards my waist, and stopped right below my breasts.

By this point, we were both breathing heavily, our gaze focused solely on our hands, on my body.

And though I was teasing him, I was becoming just as aroused as he was.

I squeezed his hands, causing him to tear his gaze away from my chest to look at me.

"What if I told you I was a bad girl?" I whispered, taking my hands away from his, to trail them up his biceps instead.

Dimitri quietly groaned, clenching his jaw once again.

I stood on my tiptoes, bringing my face closer to his.

"Or if I called you sir? Would you like that?"

The hands that had stilled just below my breasts moved up and cupped them roughly.

I squeaked at the sudden movement, realizing I finally pushed Dimitri over the edge.

Not even a moment later, Dimitri crashed his lips against mine, causing me to moan out loud. I don't think I would ever tire from his lips. Whether they were on mine, around my breasts, or between my thighs, I was crazy for his lips.

He pulled away slightly, and squeezed my breasts again, fondling them in his hold.

"Say it again," he demanded, his accent coming out thick from lust. He didn't need to specify what he wanted, I already knew.

I moved my mouth against his so as I spoke, my lips brushed against Dimitri's.

"Sir," I whispered. He squeezed my breasts again, his thumb brushing up against the cotton shirt exactly where my hardened nipples were starting to poke through.

"Again," he groaned.

I pushed my hips harder against his, enjoying the feel of his hardening manhood poking my stomach. It felt so good to physically feel how much I was turning Dimitri on.

"I've been a bad girl sir," I said, before placing my hands around his neck and bringing his mouth down to mine.

This was the first time he had ever used this type of tone with me, and though it surprised me to see he had a dominating side, I was thoroughly starting to enjoy it. I was also curious to see if this was something he was into, because the thought of Dimitri dominating me, and becoming aroused by me calling him 'sir' woke up something inside of me that I didn't even know existed.

We kissed for a little while longer, running our hands freely over each other's bodies before Dimitri pulled away.

I whimpered in protest, wanting to continue what we were doing, but Dimitri was clearly the stronger one out of us two.

He grabbed my hips and moved me away from his body.

"You need to go to school," he said pointedly, though I could tell from his voice he was struggling just like I was.

I groaned, completely forgetting for a few minutes about why I was wearing the uniform in the first place.

Dimitri had done a wonderful job at helping me forget, but looking at the clock and seeing as I had to leave soon, my nerves were back in full force.

"I don't wanna," I pouted, knowing full well how childish I sounded.

"I know you don't, but you need to," he said, removing his hands from my waist and leaning back against the counter.

"Talk to me, what are you most nervous about."

"Everything," I said, shrugging. He raised his eyebrow out at me, wanting me to speak further. "People are going to be talking about me and I have never in my life cared about that before but I don't know," I said shrugging again. "I just don't want people asking me questions, or touching me." My eyes quickly shot to Dimitri's as that thought just came to me. "Oh my god, what if they try to touch me?!"

Even though I never liked being overly touchy with people before, I was even more against it now. I knew no one at St. Vladimir's had any malicious thoughts or intended to hurt me, but I still wasn't 100% comfortable being touched by just anyone.

I ran my fingers through my long hair, and started to pace around the kitchen.

"What if someone tries to hug me and I panic. I'm going to look like even more of a freak if that happens!"

"Rose," Dimitri said, pushing himself off of the counter, trying to grab my attention and stop me from pacing, but I wasn't done yet.

"Or what if my first reaction is to punch them."

"Rose."

"I mean come on Dimitri, that's what you've been teaching me, right? What if I just accidently punch them?!" I asked, my voice rising.

"Rose!" Dimitri said, grabbing me around the shoulders and halting my movements. I was breathing heavily once again, but not for the same reasons I had been earlier.

"I'm not ready for this Dimitri," I told him, my voice coming out like a whimper.

"Yes you are," he insisted.

I shook my head at him.

"What have I been doing with you since you've been here Rose? Teaching you to protect yourself from people who try to harm you, and helping you to become comfortable with yourself once again. No one, and I repeat no one has the right to touch you in any way you do not want to be touched. Do you understand me? That could be your friends, a stranger, or even me. No one has the right to decide what you are or are not comfortable with except for you. So you go in there with your head held high and show everyone that you're not to be fucked with."

I listened intently on every word Dimitri spoke, my breathing finally going back to normal.

"I have not met your friends, but I am sure everyone in that school is going to be nothing but happy to see you. Just think of it as you going back after summer vacation. Everything will be okay, I promise," he said softly, cupping my face.

I nodded, repeating the last line he said over and over in my mind.

 _Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay._

"And if something does happen, just text me or call me."

"Okay," I nodded. "Thank you, seriously, I don't think I would've been ready to go back if it wasn't for you," I said honestly.

He smiled in response and gave me a small peck on the lips.

"You're more than welcome," he replied. He grabbed a piece of toast from the plate and handed it to me. I shook my head, to nervous to think about eating anything, but he gave me a pointed look, forcing me to take it.

"Eat it on your way there. Now go, you don't want to be late on your first day back," he said, nudging me forward. I grabbed my book bag and walked to the front door with Dimitri. I turned around and gave him once last smile, which he returned.

Turning back towards the front door, I took a deep breath and walked out.

Here goes nothing.

I arrived to school a half an hour later in my car that my parents had dropped off a few nights ago.

I spent 5 minutes in my car after I parked doing breathing exercises and repeating what Dimitri said to me over and over again in my head.

 _Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay._

Seeing as the bell would ring soon, I finally forced myself out of the car to go inside. There were a few students still standing outside, who all stopped doing whatever they had been to stop and stare at me.

Even before the incident had occurred, I was one of the popular girls in school so I was well known before. Now, I bet there wasn't a student here who hadn't heard of me.

I walked past them with my head held high, not bothering to pay attention to what they were whispering about as I made my way into the school.

 _Everything will be okay._

My schedule had a note written on the side stating I should stop by the office first. That was one thing I had been looking forward to and the sound of her voice as I opened up the office door put the first genuine smile on my face since I left Dimitri's house.

"Rose!" The blond woman exclaimed, moving herself away from the desk and quickly making her way over to me.

"Hey Alberta," I said, just as happily. She stood before me, placing her hand on my forearm and giving me a comforting squeeze. Without meaning to, I flinched and she immediately removed her hand and placed both behind her back.

I immediately felt like shit. Alberta Petrov was the school counselor and vice principal. I had known her since I was five years old and she was one of the few people I truly respected.

"I can't tell you how good it is to see you Rose," she spoke, a soft smile, one that was rare for her, making its way to her face.

"It feels good being back, a bit weird though if I'm being honest."

"That's understandable, it might take you a little bit to adjust, but if there's anyone I know who can handle it, its you," she told me honestly.

I nodded in response.

"Well I have some quick things to go over with you. I know you have your schedule already, so I wanted to give you your locker number. I also tried to make sure I could put you in as many classes as I could with Vasilissa," she told me, handing me a post it that had my locker number written on it.

"Thanks Alberta, that already makes me feel a lot better," I told her and I meant it.

"You're welcome. My door is always open for you, and you know that," she said, looking me in the eye so I knew how serious she was.

"I know," I told her.

"Good. Now you should get going, the bell will be ringing soon and I don't want you to be late," she said, moving back behind her desk.

I nodded and smiled at her once more before making my way to my locker.

I passed many more students, who were either standing by their lockers or outside of their classrooms. Most of them stopped and stared, while others tried to be more discreet. Some I had been friendlier with last year gave me genuine smiles and said hello.

So far, Dimitri had been right. Everyone did seemed pleasantly happy to see me, and though I had only been here less than 10 minutes, everything was going well so far. I looked at my locker number again and saw that it was up ahead on the right side of the hallway.

As I got closer to it, I saw the locker next to it was open and a tall, slim blond was taking her books out of it. I quickened the pace of my feet, butterflies starting to erupt in my stomach just at the sight of her.

She looked over at me, her pretty jade eyes widening in surprise.

"Rose," she stammered out, before she closed the distance between us and wrapped me in her arms.

I couldn't pull away even if I wanted to, her thin arms, trapping me tightly to her chest. I reminded myself that Lissa was like my sister and I had nothing to be afraid of. I inhaled the familiar scent of her light perfume and wrapped my arms around her, savoring the feel of being with my best friend after so long.

"I've missed you Lissa," I said genuinely, my voice thick with emotions.

I could feel her shoulders lightly shaking in my hold, and knew she was crying. Lissa had always been the emotional one out of the two of us, something I usually teased her for, but today, her emotions were completely understandable.

"I missed you so much, so, so much," she said, giving me one more squeeze before pulling away.

Her eyes were shining brightly in my direction, as if she couldn't believe I was standing in front of her. I felt the same way.

"I can't believe you're here. I just can't believe it," she breathed out.

"I know, I feel the same way," I admitted. Lissa pulled me in for another hug, causing me to giggle once I heard her squeal in my ear in delight.

She pulled away again, smiling so widely, I could see most of her teeth.

"Let me see your schedule, let's see if we have any classes together," she said holding out her hand.

I handed it over to her as she quickly skimmed it over. "Alberta said she tried to put me in as many classes as she could that you were in."

"I love that woman," she said, looking up at me and handing me my schedule back.

"Same," I agreed.

"We have first period, lunch, and the rest of the afternoon together. And as far as I know, Mason and Eddie have most of the same classes as you, too."

My ears instantly perked up at hearing that. Aside from Lissa, Mason and Eddie were the other two classmates I was closest to. Though Mason looked at me in a more romantic way, I couldn't help but consider both boys as brothers I never had.

"Rose?" A deep voice questioned from behind me. Speak of the devils.

I turned around to see the familiar red head and sandy blond making their way over to me. I smiled widely at the sight of them, realizing at that moment just how much I had missed my friends. Mason raised his arms the closer he got towards me and I immediately took a step back.

He dropped his arms and frowned, recovering not even a second later.

"Hey guys," I said, giving them a small wave.

They shared a similar expression to the one Lissa donned, as if they couldn't believe I was here, standing in front of them.

"I didn't know you were going to be back today," Mason said, and I could hear a slight accusation in his tone.

That was understandable. Lissa, Mason, and Eddie were my best friends and it must have been odd for them not to have known I was coming back.

Once I was rescued from Nathan's clutches, it was difficult for me to jump back into the old relationships I had, whether they were with my parents or my friends.

Hell, I had only just hugged my parents for the first time since everything happened, just this past week.

I could have texted my friends once I started coming back to my old self these past few weeks, but I just wasn't ready.

This moment right here, coming back to school for the first time since my kidnapping, seemed like the best way to reestablish my friendship with the three of them.

"No one really did, but I'm here now," I told all of them. "So tell me what I've missed."

And just like that, the three of them began excitedly rambling about anything and everything.

 _Everything will be okay._

 **Dimitri POV**

After Rose left, my skin was still tingling from all of the places she had touched me.

It was becoming harder and harder being around her, literally and figuratively speaking.

The kisses, the touches, and the sight of her naked skin pressed against my own was making each passing day that much more difficult.

I woke up each morning hard, since Rose enjoyed sleeping with her soft body pressed against my own. I tried to hide it as best I could, but there was no way she couldn't feel how much she was affecting me.

I've had to take care of myself more times than I'd care to admit, feeling more and more like a teenager each time I stand beneath the cold shower, images of a naked Rose flashing through my mind.

There was nothing more I wanted than to make Rose mine, completely and fully, but I knew she wasn't ready for that.

Rose had been pretty forward about what she wanted since we first starting exploring our intimate relationship with one another. So the fact that she hadn't mentioned going further was another reason why I was sure she wasn't ready for the next step, yet.

I had also discovered during our first intimate encounter together that aside from Nathan, I was the only one Rose had come close to being physical with.

When I had gone down on her the night of my birthday, she seemed almost surprised when she came on my tongue. It was as if she didn't know what was happening to her, and the feeling that overcame her body seemed like a foreign one.

That was when I knew. Nathan may have stolen her innocence, but she was clueless when it came to the pleasures her body could receive.

That thought alone urged me to take this whole relationship slow with her. It made me both excited and touched that she felt comfortable enough with me to allow me to help her discover this part of herself.

And then this morning happened.

I groaned out loud as I thought back to Rose calling me 'sir.'

I had the utmost respect for females, especially considering I grew up in a house full of women.  
But there was a part of me that wanted to possess Rose, to consume her in such a way that she wouldn't want anyone other than me.

I shook the thought from my head. Considering her rough history, I didn't want to think of dominating Rose in that way, especially if it was something that could potentially end up frightening her.  
The last thing I wanted was for her to push herself away from me in fear.

Because that's what I was most afraid of, especially after what happened the night of our double date; that I would do something, anything, that would cause Rose to become scared of me.

I once again shook those thoughts out of my head, focusing on putting the dishes away. I needed to get ready to go to work and couldn't have these thoughts running around in my head.

As I was drying my hands, I heard the doorbell ring.

That was odd, considering neither Ivan nor Adrian told me they would be stopping by.  
For a moment, I thought it may have been Rose at the door, and quickly rushed towards it to see if that was true or not.  
I opened it up to reveal Abe. The man look disheveled, or as disheveled as he could be. His silk shirt was untucked and his hair looked like he had been tugging at it all morning. There was something in his hand, papers that he was gripping tight. He barely glanced in my direction, before stepping inside.

"Mazur," I both asked and said, wondering why he was here so early in the morning.

For a spilt second, I wondered if he had found something out about Rose and I, but quickly brushed that thought aside, because if he had found out, then I would have already been dead.

"Dimitri," he said, and my eyebrows shot up in response. From all of the time I had known him, he had never referred to me by my first name. It had always just been Belikov, so this right here already put me on edge.

"What is it?" I asked.

There is a feeling that every person goes through at least once in their life, whether it's called intuition or something else, but it's this sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, alerting you that something bad is about to happen.

"Look, I could just be a overreacting and being a crazy father, but" he paused, shoving multiple papers into my hand. "These came in the mail."

I looked over at the papers, seeing they were hand written letters and immediately knew they had been sent by Nathan.

Since the first time Abe came into the office in our headquarters, he was advised by both Hans and I to bring in any letters from Nathan straight to the office, so we can not only keep tabs on what he says, but also stay alert on any possible threats.

So for Abe to come straight here, he must have felt as if it was too important to wait until I made it to the office.

And he was right.

I read the first letter, the date on top being the furthest from today. Nathan had written the date in the top right corner- December 26th. The letter read-

 _My Wife,_

 _It has been a while since I've seen you Rose._

 _You were always there, in that lavender room, alone or with your friends._

 _You were always in that room, undressing in front of your mirror, with your curtains closed, thinking no one could see you._

 _But I could. I could always see you._

 _But it has been a while since you've stood in front of that mirror._

 _You are not where you usually are._

 _Where are you?_

A chill ran down my spine as I read that letter once more, glancing nervously at Abe.

He looked at my expression, and nodded in agreement.

"I know," he said. "Keep reading."

The next letter had the first day of January written on top of it.

 _My wife,_

 _They say there is a storm outside so my letters will not be able to be delivered for another few days._

 _That's a shame, really, because the longer I wait, the more upset I am become._

 _I need to know why I can't see you._

 _You and I both know that you will die by my hands, and my hands alone._

 _You have seen how ruthless I can be during such matters, so it would be wise of you not to upset me._

 _I need to know where you are._

 _I have a feeling you are hiding from me._

 _Where are you hiding Rose?_

I released a shaky breath as I looked over the third letter. It was from just two days ago, one day after Rose and I's double date.

The letter had one line, and one line only.

 _Who is he?_

There was nothing else, no "My wife" or any other threats, just that one sentence. I re-read all three letters again, before finally looking up at Abe.

"Please tell me I'm just being paranoid, and this is one of his empty threats again," he said, almost pleading with me.

I looked at the three pages in my hand, feeling dread run through my body and make me more tired than I've felt in ages.

"I can't," I said, unable to look Abe-a man who trusted me with his one and only daughter- in the eyes.

He let out a sigh of disappointment. He began pacing my living room, similar to how his daughter had been just an hour ago.

"Rose can't know about this," he said, finally stopping in front of me.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. I didn't know if I liked the idea of that. Rose was apart of this, and I felt like her knowing was important, because she would be extra cautious in regards to her safety.

It felt wrong hiding this from her, especially since it concerned her.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I told him.

"She doesn't know about these letters and I want to keep it that way," he said, giving me a hard look.

"Wait, she doesn't know about any of them? Even the ones you bought in the first time you came into the office?"

"No, I've been hiding them from her. She was already so scared as is, that I didn't want to completely terrify her by telling her about the letters. She has no clue about them and I want to keep it that way."

I wanted to argue with him, but knew I couldn't. He was her father, and as much as I wanted to interject, it wasn't my place.

He chuckled, though it was completely humorless. "Can you believe I was going to come here this week any way, to tell you that maybe I had been worried for nothing and have Rose move back home," he said, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe it.

I felt a tug at my heart, an unfamiliar feeling at the thought of Rose's parents taking her away from me. I didn't know what caused that sudden ache in my chest, but I didn't have time to think about it right now.

"And then these letters come," he continued. "It's like when is it enough? I just want him to leave my baby alone Dimitri."

I nodded, 100% agreeing with him. It seemed cruel and unfair that this ordeal hadn't gone away, that that scum still wouldn't leave Rose alone.

"What do you think these even mean? He must have people spying on her or how else would he be able to 'see her'," he said, using air quotes on the last two words.

"I have no idea, but I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on her. She barely leaves the house as is, and almost had a melt down this morning at the thought of going back to school," I admitted to him. "I'll take these to Hans, and see if I can cut back on my night-time hours so I'm home with her before its dark out. Also, I think its best if she stays here a while longer. He didn't specify if he knows where she lives now or not, but he definitely has eyes on your house."

"Agreed," Abe nodded.

"I'll ask Hans to station someone outside of your home. Hopefully, who ever is spying for him will show up again and we can catch them. I'll also speak with the guards at the prison to keep me updated on any and every person he has called, and give me a list of everyone who has gone to visit him. That might help us narrow down who it is that's doing his dirty work."

"That's a really good idea," Abe said.

"From these letters, it seems like he doesn't want anyone else coming into contact with Rose, other than himself. So while no one else might harm Rose, we'll still keep an eye out for any other threat, whether its small or not," I put it as lightly as I could. Judging from the letters, Nathan wanted to be the one to kill Rose himself, and while he was behind those bars, I could at least be temporarily relieved by the fact that who ever was working for him, wouldn't try to kill Rose themself.

Abe nodded again, though he didn't say anything.

"Abe," I said, getting his attention. "I will not let anything happen to her. I'll die before I let anything or anyone hurt Rose hurt again. Please, believe me."

He patted me once on the arm.

"Thank you," he said gruffly.

I nodded in response.

"Let's get these letters to Hans and we'll discuss what we should do next," I said, already grabbing my duster and throwing it on.

Abe agreed, and we both made out way to the headquarters to try and figure out what our next course of action should be.

 **Rose POV**

The day had gone a lot better than I could have ever imagined. There were some instances where I just wanted to crawl into a hole and never emerge again. For example, when I made my way to my first class, and Mr. Alto made a big deal about my presence, I wanted to either kill him or kill myself from all of the extra attention I was receiving.

But as each class went by, it became easier and easier to deal with the stares, and I knew before long, everything would hopefully go back to normal.

"Are you going to stay for dance practice?" Lissa asked, after the final bell rang and we made our way to our lockers.

"No," I told her, putting my book into my locker and taking out the ones I would need for homework tonight. "I might start back next week, but it just seems like a bit much for the first day back."

"I get it, I don't want you to overwhelm yourself. Take all the time you need," she told me, giving me a genuine smile.

She walked me to my car, chatting excitedly about her upcoming date. Apparently during my absence, she had begun dating the school loner, Christian Ozera. To say I was shocked was an understatement. They were complete opposites in every single way. While she was a pleasant, social butterfly, he was a rude outcast.

When I had asked her how the relationship came to be, all she said was that he had been there for her in a way no one else had.

I didn't ask her anymore, nor did she need to explain herself further, because I completely understood.

There are people that come into your life when you are at your lowest, and they have the power to either bring you back to life or completely crush any chance you had at recovering.

Lissa had found what she needed in Christian, just like I had found that in Dimitri.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" She asked, as if she still wasn't sure I would come back again.

I brushed away her insecurity and told her, "Definitely."

She pulled me into a quick hug, then let go and made her way back into the school for dance practice after waving me goodbye.

I hopped into my car and made my way to Dimitri and I's place, and sighed in relief when I saw the house come into view. Though today had gone better than I expected, I was exhausted and the sight of his house was welcoming.

I pulled up next to Dimitri's truck, surprised to see that he was home this early.

It was almost 4 p.m. but he usually wasn't home until almost 8 at night. And as far as I know, he didn't have off today either.

I walked into the house and took my flats and coat off by the front door.

"Dimitri," I called out.

"In here," he replied back from the kitchen. I made my way over to where he was to see he was quickly gathering up the papers he had sprawled across the kitchen counter and placing them in a folder. He had his laptop open, which he closed shut as I got closer to him

That was odd. Dimitri was always the poster boy for cool and collected, but he seemed almost frazzled to see me.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him, placing my book bag down and walking to the opposite side of the kitchen island.

"Yeah, I just didn't realize how long I had been working on this stuff until you came in," he said, putting the folder, now packed with the papers he had gathered up, and the laptop neatly at the corner of the island.

"What are you doing here right now anyway? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Yeah, but I've been backed up on so much paper work, that I asked Hans if I could just work on it from home. It might be like this for the next week or so," he told me. That made sense, I guess. Why sit at his office doing work that he could be doing at home.

"So you'll be home more often," I asked, getting excited over the thought of seeing more of Dimitri.

He grinned at my enthusiasm and nodded his head.

"Yeah you will be. Now enough about me, how was your first day?" he asked, leaning forward on the counter, focusing all of his attention on me.

I mimicked his movement and leaned forward, as well.

"A lot better than I expected. You were right, everyone was really nice and they seemed happy to see me back. I was also careful not to let anyone get too close and it actually wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I just thought about what you said about making sure that I'm comfortable, and the rest came easy," I told him.

He grabbed my hands with his and gave me a gentle, comforting squeeze.

"Good, it makes me so happy to hear that Rose," he told me genuinely.

I smiled in his direction, which he quickly returned.

"It has been a long day though, so I need a hug."

He let go of my hands and opened up his arms, beckoning me to come to him.

"Come here Roza," he said as I quickly made my way around the counter and wrapped myself into his strong arms.

This is exactly what I needed after a long day. I needed the comfort only Dimitri could provide me.

He ran his hands up and down my back softly as I discreetly inhaled the scent of his aftershave. I pulled away slightly to look at him, though we both kept our arms wrapped around each other.

"Thank you," I whispered, not just for the hug, but for everything.

He didn't reply, instead closing the gap between us to kiss me softly on the lips.

There was no urgency in our movements, and we took the time to kiss each other slowly and deeply.

Eventually, we pulled away from one another. I had homework I needed to do, and I didn't want to distract Dimitri from his own work.

"Want to get take out for dinner tonight?" I asked him, stopping by the entrance of the kitchen.

"Yeah, just let me know when you get hungry and then we can order whatever you're in the mood for," he said, once again opening up his laptop.

I told him okay, and smiled at him once more before exiting the kitchen.

 _Everything will be okay._

The night progressed nicely. I did my homework in my room, while Dimitri continued to work in the kitchen.

Once I was done with the work, I called my parents to tell them how my day went. They sounded pleasantly surprised to see I had reached out to them first and I decided at that moment that I would make more of an effort to speak with them first, instead of waiting for them to always contact me. Afterwards, I texted Lissa and asked her how her date had gone, talking back and forth with her for a bit.

It finally seemed like things were falling back into place and that thought pleased me immensely.

Dimitri and I ordered pizza for dinner. While we ate, I told him more about how my first day had gone.

"Wait, you know Alberta?" I asked incredulously.

Dimitri nodded, "I've known her since I was 19, when I first joined the DEA. She goes out with my boss, Hans," Dimitri said, before taking a bite of his veggie pizza.

I put my slice down on my plate and held my hands up, palms facing Dimitri.

"Wait, hold up. You mean to tell me Alberta has a boyfriend?"

Dimitri nodded his head, not understanding why I was making such a big deal out of this.

"Woah, I mean don't get me wrong, I think she's beautiful. She always reminded me of Charlize Theron, in that short-cropped hair, badass kind of way. It's just weird to think she has a life outside of the school," I told him.

I believe it must be like that for all students, to see teachers they knew their whole life, outside of school. It was kind of like how it is with your parents. It's hard to imagine that your parents had a life before you, just likes its odd to imagine teachers have lives outside of school.

Dimitri chuckled at my reasoning, and shook his head at me.

"I will agree with you on the badass part, though. I've seen her workout before and she is not to be messed with," Dimitri said.

I nodded in agreement. She seemed like the type who could work in law enforcement, or anything that required being physically active. Still, I was glad she was at St. Vladimir's since she was by far my favorite adult there.

Dimitri and I finished up dinner, and worked together to clean up the mess. He made his way to bed, while I decided to take a shower. I enjoyed showering at night, while Dimitri preferred the mornings. It worked out well, because we never argued over who got to shower first.

After my shower, I made my way into Dimitri's bed and cuddled next to him. It was easy to fall asleep, since I had been up so early for school anyway.

I woke up a few hours later, parched, to see it was still pitch black out. Dimitri was lightly snoring next to me, his arm thrown over my waist.

I really needed a drink of water, so I tried to carefully move Dimitri's arm off of me.

That man was the lightest sleeper I knew, because he quickly woke up.

"What's wrong?" he mumbled, still mostly asleep.

"Nothing, I'm just thirsty. You sleep, I'll be right back." I had barely finished my sentence before Dimitri was out like a light.

I quietly made my way to the kitchen, and greedily drank up the cool, glass of water. I rinsed out the glass and put it back on the dish rack.

Before going back upstairs, I noticed my cell phone charger was sitting on the kitchen counter. I definitely needed that, so my phone wasn't dead when I woke up in the morning. As I turned around, my left arm brushed against the edge of the counter where Dimitri's folder was sitting, swiping the whole thing, along with it contents, across the kitchen floor.

"Shit," I swore in the quietness of the kitchen and bent down to pick his things up. I gathered up all of the things that had spilled out, which seemed to consist of long-written reports, pictures taken through a security camera and other loose-leaf papers. As I placed each thing back, being mindful of Dimitri's privacy, I suddenly froze, my hand stilling on top of one of the pictures.

It couldn't be. I picked it, and bought it towards my face to look closely at it.

An audible gasp left my mouth as I recognized the grainy image to be that of Nathan.

Even after all of this time, it chilled me to my core to see him.

He was dressed in prison clothes, and looked like he was talking through a glass with someone. I had seen enough cop shows and movies to know that he was speaking with a visitor, but I couldn't tell who it was since all I could see was the back of their head.

Why did Dimitri have this?

I picked up another picture, and it was similar to the first one.

I looked through all of the pictures, a total of 10, and they all had Nathan in it.

This folder had to do with Nathan.

Not caring about Dimitri's privacy anymore, I gathered up all of the papers and put them on the counter, looking them over.

Maybe Dimitri was keeping tabs on him, but why?

Most of the papers seemed to be documents, outlining his arrest. Maybe this was his arrest report?

I looked at the final contents of the folder, the loose leaf-pages and picked up a random one.

As I read the first line, my blood ran cold.

 _My wife._

These were letters, written by him, to me. I read over each one, getting more and more sick as I read each sentence.

They ranged from our fucked up history together, to what he planned to do to me and my parents next time he saw me.

I looked at the date on them, seeing that they began all the way back in November.

How did I not know about this?

How could Dimitri keep this from me?

I looked at the last few letters, which were dated as the most recent.

I read them slowly, then quickly, going over each and every single word, until they were etched into my brain.

I thought I was free. I thought I was finally free, but I had been so wrong.

He knows I'm not at home anymore and it wouldn't be long before he figured out my whereabouts.

And worst of all, he knows about Dimitri.

I had seen what he was capable of, especially when it threatened my position in his life, so him knowing about Dimitri was not good.

 _Everything will be…_

 _Everything will be…_

I couldn't finish the thought that I had been chanting in my mind all day.

I put the papers back on the counter, as my breathing picked up.

I tried to calm myself down, but couldn't as hard as I tried.

"Oh fuck," I exclaimed, panicking at this newfound information.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I repeated over and over again.

"Rose," I heard behind me, and turned to see Dimitri.

He took one look at the counter, where all of the papers had been strewn, then at my panicked expression.

He knew. He knew that I knew and there was nothing he could say to make me believe everything would be okay.


	13. Chapter 13

**So I wanted this chapter to be solely revolving around Rose and Dimitri so that is why it's a bit short. The next chapter will have more of the other characters involved. There is so much more that needs to be done, especially revolving Rose's parents and their discovery of Rose and Dimitri's relationship, but I still haven't figured out when to add that part in.**

 **I also read all of your comments on the BDSM and completely agree that it would not suit this story at all. I will incorporate some of the 'sir' talk in there, but I think I'll create a one-shot BDSM story since I've been itching to do one lol**

 **Anyway, this story is about to get a lot more intense, so I'm sorry you have to deal with this boring chapter lol still, I hope you all enjoy and please let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

"I can explain," Dimitri said calmly, hoping I would follow suit after seeing my panicked expression.

"Please do because I am freaking out right now Dimitri," I replied, crossing my arms across my chest and waiting.

Dimitri scratched the back of his neck and knew there was no way he could get out of this without telling me everything that was going on.

"Your father and I thought maybe it'd be best if you didn't know about all of this," he said gesturing to the papers on the counter.

"What is all of this exactly Dimitri? And why did no one think I had a right to know?" I exclaimed.

"About the letters," he clarified.

"You mean about him still knowing about my whereabouts and activities despite being in jail," I said. I rubbed at my eyes, feeling the familiar sting of oncoming tears threating to spill over.

"He doesn't know where you are Rose," Dimitri said, coming closer to me.

"But he will," I said matter of factly. I picked up the letter with earliest date and shook it in front of Dimitri. "He already knows there's a man in my life. How long before he figures out where I'm living Dimitri."

"He won't-"

"He will!" I yelled at him. "He always finds out Dimitri!" I threw the paper back onto the counter. "Wait, is this why I'm here?" I asked him, the thought suddenly coming to mind.

Dimitri looked away from my questioning gaze and that in itself was all the confirmation I needed.

"So you all obviously felt threatened enough by these letters to have me move in with you, but no one thought it would be a good idea to tell me?"

From the very first time my parents had bought up the idea of me moving in with Dimitri, they always said it was for their peace of mind. They reassured me that there was no threat whatsoever, but they wanted me to still have that extra protection until they felt completely comfortable.

"I didn't know you didn't know about them at first," he said.

"At first? Meaning you eventually found out I didn't know but still didn't tell me," I told him rather than asked him, since it was clear that was the case. "Why Dimitri? Didn't you think it would be good idea for me to know, considering it has to do with me and my safety?"

"I wanted to tell you, I swear, but you were finally starting school. I just didn't want to worry you about something I was trying to keep under control."

"That was something you should've let me decide for myself!" I exclaimed.

I was scared, I was angry, I was upset, and I was completely hurt that Dimitri had kept such a big secret from me.

"Rose listen," he said coming closer and trying to take a hold of my hands.

"Don't touch me!" I said, moving a step back.  
A hurt expression came across Dimitri's face, but I was too far gone to care. I was hurt, too.

"You know my parents not telling doesn't even bother me that much. I'm more hurt that you didn't tell me, it's like you don't trust me or something," I told him truthfully.

"I do trust you Rose, I thought I was doing you a favor by keeping you in the dark. You have to believe me," he pleaded.

I turned my gaze away from his. I wanted to believe him, but I didn't want to forgive him so quickly.

I didn't think there would come a time in Dimitri and I's relationship that I would ever be upset with him, but nothing can stay perfect forever.

"So now what? Are you guys all going to go behind my back to move me somewhere else since Nathan is clearly close to figuring out where I am? And who the hell is telling him this stuff? Is there someone else out there who I should be on the lookout out for?" I rambled out question after question.

Why did this keep happening to me? I thought Nathan was in the past and I would never have to hear of him again, but clearly that was not the case.

"Can you just sit down, I promise I will tell you everything," Dimitri said waiting for me to move. "Please Rose," he pleaded again.

I begrudgingly sat myself down in the seat and Dimitri breathed a sigh of relief. He moved to the seat opposite me. He took a deep breath and began to speak.

"About two months ago, your father came to my job with the first of these letters. He told me he wanted to make sure nothing ever happened to you and the only way he would have that sense of peace was for me to guard you. At first I declined and told him there was no way you would ever get hurt by Nathan again, but he insisted so I agreed. There were only a few other letters that came after that, but they were so similar to the first few that we didn't think much of them and we just stored them away," Dimitri told me, looking straight at me to make sure I was following along to everything he had so far.

"If there was nothing to worry about then why would you agree?" I asked him.

"I was completely honest with your father at the time when I told him there was absolutely no threat. But Abe seemed so desperate, and I just kept thinking about how I would feel in his position if something were to happen to one of my sisters. I would want them safe if there was a threat or not, so I said yes."

"At the time? So you think there is a threat now?" I asked, my eyes widening at his statement.

Dimitri seemed stuck on what to say, but I was persistent.

"Do you think I'm in danger now?" I repeated.

"No Rose, you're not in danger," he said quickly. "These new letters just made us all alert that he may have someone watching you, but that doesn't mean you're in danger."

"How could it not mean that Dimitri? He had people watching my house! He has people following us when we go out!"

"But he can't get to you Rose, nothing will happen to you," he said.

"How can you know that for sure?" I asked him.

"You know him better than I do Rose. He seems like a very personal individual. I do not think he would let anyone hurt you, even if they do work for him," Dimitri said and it made complete and total sense.

Nathan was a fucked up individual who would most likely kill me the moment he laid his eyes on me if his letters were anything to go by, but it had to be him to do it. He never let any of his employees touch me or come near me. He liked me all to himself, and I was sure that he would want nothing more than for my death to be done by his hands.

"Okay I guess you're right about that but what about you? And my parents?"

Nathan would have no qualms having those closest to me killed off, and they were my main concern right now.

Dimitri didn't answer me and instead looked away. I grabbed his hand, bringing his attention back to me. For the first time that night, I could feel the emotions I tried so hard to keep away, beginning to spill over.

"I can't let anything happen to you or my parents Dimitri," my voice cracked as I spoke. I could feel the tears dripping off my chin and falling onto Dimitri and I's joined hands but I didn't care and neither did he.

"It's not even about me anymore. It's about my family. Nothing else matters to me, not all of this progress that I made or how I've finally started coming back to the old me. The only thing that matters to me is that my family is okay," I said to him.

"Rose I won't let anything happen to your parents," he said softly.

I shook my head at him, cutting him off. "Not just my parents. You're my family too Dimitri."

Dimitri's eyes widened in surprise before his expression completely softened at what I had just told him.

"Rose," he whispered, releasing his hand from my hold, only to envelop my hands in his much larger ones.

"It's true," I sniffled, trying to get my emotions back under control. "You three are the only people I truly care about. If something were to happen to you because of me…" I couldn't even finish my sentence. The thought of something happening because of me to my parents or Dimitri was unimaginable and it wasn't until I saw Dimitri get out of his seat to walk over to me that I realized I had started crying again.

He took my face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears that had stained my cheeks. He looked at me with complete seriousness, though I could tell it pained him to see me in such a state.

"Nothing will happen to any of us. I have it under control," he told me.

"How?"

"I have officers stationed outside of your parents house to keep an eye out for anyone who might look suspicious. I also got a list of all of the people who have gone to visit Nathan in prison or who have called him. We'll know who it is that he had spying on you before the end of this week. We just have to stay extra cautious until then."

I nodded at what he said, feeling a sense of relief after hearing that my parents were currently guarded.

"Nothing will happen to you, or your parents, or me. Please believe me on this," he promised me. I looked into his eyes to see any hint of betrayal or lies, but couldn't find anything.

I reached my hands up to wrap around Dimitri's wrists, giving him a gentle squeeze, before pulling his hands away from my face. I got out of the seat and moved around Dimitri, who had yet to move an inch.

I felt like this day had dragged on forever. How was it that I started school, had a pleasant dinner with Dimitri, and this whole fiasco transpired all before the new day had started?

I felt utterly and completely exhausted.

"Where are you going?" Dimitri asked cautiously.

"I'm going to my room. I just need some time process this all," I told him, and his shoulders visibly fell.

"Rose I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, please come to bed with me," he said, and I could tell how hurt he was, but I wasn't ready to move on so quickly.

"I know, but I just need some alone time." Dimitri didn't say anymore, though I could tell he wanted to. Instead, he nodded his head and I turned around and made my way to my room.

Sleeping without Dimitri for the first time in weeks was hell. I tossed and turned all night, my memories and nightmares mixing together, until exhaustion took over and I fell asleep without even realizing it.

Almost immediately after I closed my eyes, I was bought into one of my typical nightmares starring Nathan. I knew what was going to happen next and was about to force myself awake, but as I looked closely, it wasn't me who was being killed. It was my parents.

Nathan looked at me and smiled, before pulling the trigger and shooting my parents dead right in front of my eyes.

I don't know how long I had been crying for, in my nightmare or real life, I wasn't sure. But as soon I started, I felt a sudden calm brush over me, urging me to relax, whispering to me that it was nothing but a bad dream.

The calm had strong, yet gentle hands and a Russian accent. I trusted the calm to keep me safe and finally listened to what it told me, and fell into a peaceful slumber.

My alarm the next morning blared too early for my liking. If it wasn't my second day back, I would totally skip.

As I got up and stretched, I took a deep breath and immediately my senses were filled by the scent of Dimitri's aftershave.  
That was odd, considering he wasn't here. I looked around and noticed the chair Dimitri usually slept in while he was in my room looked like it was slightly moved, though I wasn't positive.

I brushed it off and dressed quickly, making my way downstairs so I could leave before Dimitri woke up. As I walked into the kitchen though, I could see that he had already beaten me.

How I thought I could ever wake up before Dimitri Belikov was beyond me.

Dimitri stopped pouring his coffee to look at me, and I could clearly see how tired he still looked. The man looked like he hadn't gotten a minute of sleep last night, yet here he was, ready before me.

"Good morning," he said cautiously, waiting for what reaction I would give him.

"Good morning," I replied, moving around him to the kitchen counter and grabbing a banana. I was still upset with him, but I didn't want to seem childish by giving him the silent treatment.

"Did you sleep okay?" he asked me, seeming genuinely interested to know what I would say.

I shrugged my shoulders slightly and answered, "I guess." A look of hurt flashed across Dimitri's face at my short and curt response, before he quickly masked it up.

"I should get going, I don't want to be late," I said already turning around to leave.

"Wait," Dimitri said from behind me. "I wanted to tell you, there's going to be an undercover police officer following behind you until you get to school. But just to be on the safe side, please just text me once you get to school so I know you made it there okay."

I didn't answer him and he spoke again. "Rose please," he repeated, sounding just as tired as he looked.

I nodded and told him I would, then made my way to school.

As soon as I got to school, I texted him just like I had promised and he immediately responded saying thank you.

I put my phone away after that, and tried to focus my attention on school.

Lissa could tell something was off with me, even though it was only my second day back.

I had been pretty quiet yesterday, but that had more to do with the nerves of being back after so long.

Today, my entire being felt exhausted.

The safety I had begun to feel after so long had all but gone away.

Dimitri could reassure me all he wanted that I wasn't in danger, but no one knew Nathan like I did. I didn't put anything past him, so it wasn't crazy to assume the people I cared about wouldn't come out of this ordeal unscathed.

Then there was Dimitri. I think I was upset with him, because from the moment I met him, he treated me like his equal. He made me comfortable enough where I felt easy sharing personal things with him, and I thought he felt the same with me.

Dimitri keeping me in the dark felt like he didn't trust me like I trusted him, and that hurt.

The day dragged on, though it was a welcoming distraction from all that was going on with my personal life.

When I got back home, Dimitri was sitting at the kitchen counter just like he had been the day before, with his nose buried in paperwork.

I tried to avoid him, but he still called out to me, preventing me from making a quick escape to my room.

"How was your day?" he asked, giving me his full attention.

"It was okay, how was yours?" I asked.

"Busy and exhausting," he replied. That I could tell, because he looked even more tired than how I left him this morning.

"I have a lot of homework, so I'm going to head up," I said, already moving my foot to the first step.

Dimitri took the hint and nodded, "Sure, let me know if you get hungry."

I nodded and went up to my room quickly.

I felt like Dimitri and I had taken a huge step back in our relationship. I spent the rest of the night avoiding him, while he cautiously moved around me, waiting to see if I had forgiven him yet.

The next two nights were the same.

Dimitri and I tiptoed around each other even more, and I pretty much holed myself up in my room.

My nights were the same, too. As quickly as my nightmare would begin, it would end just as fast. And each morning, I would awake to an empty room, wondering if I conjured up Dimitri in my brain or not.

The next night was slightly different.

Though I was able to avoid my usual nightmare again, I awoke, four hours before my alarm was set to go off.

My eyes opened to see that it was still dark in my room, though there was a full moon tonight so the glow from it cast enough light for me to make out some of the things in my room.

And the first thing I laid my eyes on was the 6'7" body of Dimitri, who was slumpt over in the chair, his left hand lying on my pillow where my head had just been.

I sat up slowly, so as not to make any sounds to wake him.

The sight of Dimitri could have made me cry. He was the calm I had been feeling each time my nightmare began. This just proved to me that he really had been in my room each night and left before I had the chance to wake up. We were in the outs right now, but here he was, giving me comfort like he always did.

I had mostly avoided Dimitri when I first moved in here, but we were strangers then so there were absolutely no feelings involved. If anything, it just felt awkward.

Now, we had become emotionally and physically acquainted with one another, so avoiding Dimitri now broke my heart.

I loved being around him, whether we were talking or not. His presence alone was enough to calm me down. I hated this gap that had come between us, and could tell it hurt him just as much as it hurt me.

I looked at his sleeping figure and took my time to let my eyes linger and take in every detail there was of Dimitri. From his low set pair of eyebrows, to his chiseled cheeks sprinkled with facial hair that he had neglected due to the stress I was sure to have been causing him these past few days. His lips were perfectly shaped, the bottom one fuller than the top. He was the most handsome man I had ever laid my eyes on.

And here he was, for the fourth night in a row on that uncomfortable chair just for me.

I had been ignoring him and still, here he was, ruining his night sleep so I can sleep comfortably.

I stood up from the bed, standing right in front of him. I placed my hand on his forehead and gently pushed some of his soft, brown hair away from his face.  
He began to stir awake due to my ministrations, but I didn't stop my fingers from running back and forth through his hair.

"Wake up Dimitri," I said softly and a moment later, his eyes opened, immediately becoming alert once he saw me standing in front of him.

"Rose," he said, his voice still hoarse and rough with sleep. I took my hand away from him and asked.

"What are you doing here?"

Dimitri looked away from me and cleared his throat. He straightened himself out on the chair before answering me.

"You were crying in your sleep," he told me.

"But why are you here?" I asked again. He looked at me this time, slightly confused by my question.

"I couldn't just leave you like that," he said gesturing to my bed.

"Why? I've been so mean to you," I told him, trying to get him to understand why I was questioning him.

These past few days, all he had been trying to do was get me to talk to him, and all I did in return was ignore him. Yet here he was, giving me comfort, like always.

Dimitri shook his head, his face taking on a more serious expression.

"No you haven't been-"

"Yes I have," I cut him off before he could lie and tell me I hadn't been mean or rude to him.

He let out a big deep breath before continuing, "Your anger was justifiable. But just because you weren't talking to me doesn't mean I was going to just let you suffer in your sleep."

"You let your sleep suffer because of me," I said pointing at the obvious uncomfortable chair he had slept in for the past few nights.  
Dimitri and I both had been getting far better sleep once I started sharing a bed with him. He was always there to make my nightmares go away without having to ruin his own sleep by sitting in a chair all night.

But because of my anger these past few days, he gave up his comfort once again without complaining about it even once.

Dimitri looked me straight in the eyes before replying.

"I would do a lot for you Rose, this is nothing," he said quietly.

And I believed him.

I stood there, staring at him silently, before reaching out to touch his cheek. His facial hair tickled my palm, and I couldn't help but find him even sexier with the stubble.

Dimitri seemed surprised by my physical touch, but didn't complain. Instead, he allowed me to explore his skin silently.

"I missed you," I finally said, whispering in the darkness of the room.

Dimitri placed his larger hand on top of my own, and dragged it from his cheek to his lips, where he placed a small kiss on my palm.

Then he tugged on my hand and pulled me forward so I could sit on his lap. Immediately, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and hid my face in his neck, inhaling Dimitri's scent that I had missed so much.

"I missed you, too," he whispered, tightening his arms around my waist and pushing me even closer so my chest was pressed tightly against his.

"These past few days have been hell. I felt like we were back to square one and all the progress we made was gone," he told me.

I pulled my face away from his to get a better look at his face. He looked down at me, too, our faces only a few inches apart.

"I'm sorry, I was just so overwhelmed from everything I found out. I didn't know how to handle it properly," I told him apologetically. Though I had every reason for being upset, I could have handled it better or maybe allowed Dimitri more of a chance to justify himself.

Dimitri immediately shook his head at my statement. "Don't apologize. Your anger was completely reasonable, but please don't ever shut me out like that again. Talk to me, even if it is to curse me out."

I lightly chuckled tightening my arms around his shoulders.

"Are you sure about that Comrade, because I have a very colorful vocabulary."

He smiled widely and nodded his head, "Yes, I'm positive."

"Okay I'm going to hold you to that for the next time you piss me off," I told him, smiling back.

Dimitri chuckled, and I could feel his chest vibrating against my own.

We both got quiet again and though it was dark, I could see his eyes staring into my own clearly.

"No more secrets Dimitri," I both said and asked him.

"No more secrets Rose," he repeated in complete seriousness.

I hugged his body once again burying my face into his neck.

"Let's get to bed," I heard him say and a moment later, I felt him get up from the chair with me still in his arms.

He walked easily to his own room and gently placed me on my side of the bed, knowing full well I would immediately mold my body to his the moment he got in.

He stood next to the foot of the bed, staring at me, before reaching for the neck of his tee shirt and pulling it off of his body in one swift movement.

A sigh of content pleasure left my mouth at the sight of Dimitri's naked chest.

He heard the sound I made and gave me a small smirk. He got onto the bed, but instead of getting onto his side, he crawled over to me until his body was directly above my own.

He held his body up by his hands, which were right next to my head. He was so close to me that I only had to lift my head slightly off the pillow to be able to reach him.

I looked his body over, each inch of it covered in muscle and contracting sexily with the slightest movement he made.

I placed my hands over his shoulders and slowly moved them down his chest, brushing my fingers across his nipples, causing him to quietly groan. The sound urged me to explore some more so I dragged my hands down his abs, stopping at the waistband of his sweats.

My hands stilled right there, not moving any further.

Dimitri and I had done a lot so far. Aside from Nathan, he was the only one who had seen me naked, something I was happy and comfortable with. I always felt the affect my body had on Dimitri. I could feel his large manhood pressing against my belly or butt every time I woke up next to him or whenever we got hot and heavy with one another. And aside from myself, he was the only person to have ever made me cum. So though I loved Dimitri's touch and the pleasures he bought my body, I still wasn't ready for the next step yet.

I looked back into his eyes and saw him looking down at me with a smile, and it was like he knew exactly what I was thinking. He moved one of his hands down to bring my hands away from where I had placed them on his hips and kissed them.

"Thank you," I whispered. I thanked him for being so patient with me, for taking his time with me. I didn't need to tell him all of that though, because he knew.

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

"You don't ever need to thank me for that Roza," he said after he pulled away.

I didn't reply, instead bringing his mouth back onto my own and pressing a deep kiss onto his lips.

We made up for all of the kisses we had missed these past few days until sleep finally took over our senses and we fell asleep tangled in each others arms.


	14. Chapter 14

**Two chapters in two days! I already started working on the next part and I really hope you like it. Please let me know what you think and enjoy! :)**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

I felt relieved being back on good terms with Dimitri. The rift that had come between us for the past few days had taken a toll on the both of us, but especially him.

Due to his presence in my room, I was at least able to sleep for most of the nights we were apart, but the same couldn't be said for Dimitri.

He had ruined his sleep each night to make sure I was okay.  
So the night we made up, I had woken up from alarm going off immediately, while Dimitri barely stirred in his sleep. At that moment, I realized just how much these past few days had affected him.

I quickly shut my alarm off and tiptoed out of the room, allowing Dimitri to be the one to finally sleep in for once.

I dressed in my uniform and left quickly, texting Dimitri as soon as I arrived at St. Vlad's.

"You look happy," Lissa commented as I made my way to my locker.

"Do I?" I asked.

She nodded her head, her blond hair bopping up and down with her. "Yes, you looked miserable these past few days. I was bit worried."

"I guess I just needed a good night's sleep," I told her, and smiled at the memory of falling asleep pressed against Dimitri's naked chest last night.

Lissa's hand stopped midway to her open locker. She looked me over, before grabbing my chin and staring into my eyes.

"Um what the hell are you doing?" I asked.

Her jade eyes bore into my own, as if a simple look from her was compelling me to tell her all of my secrets.

"Who is he?" she asked, excitedly, letting go of my chin abruptly.

My eyes widened, before I quickly recovered. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh don't give me that Rose. I know that look. A girl only looks like that when there is a boy involved," she said, sandwiching me between her and the locker.

Luckily, I was saved by the bell and smirked obnoxiously in her direction.

"Well I can't have Stan breathing up my ass about being late," I said quickly, pushing away from her. I was a few feet away before I turned around again. "Oh and by the way, he is no boy," I said cheekily. Her eyes widened at my statement and I quickly rushed to class, giggling the whole way.

I knew she would question me later, but I wasn't ready to tell her or anyone about Dimitri. I liked what we had, because it was private and solely between the two of us. I didn't want anyone knowing about the feelings and emotions that I felt for him, except for Dimitri himself.

Once I got home from school, a fresh layer of snow had covered the grounds and it didn't look like it would be stopping anytime soon.

A lot of my teachers had told us there was a chance the snow would come down heavily throughout the weekend, hopefully allowing us to have a long weekend off from school. I was happily looking forward to the thought of being holed up in the house with Dimitri for more than a few days.

I walked cheerfully into the house, dropping my bag by the kitchen entrance as I came in. Dimitri looked up from his pile of papers and smiled as he saw me approaching him.

Without saying a word, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and planted a hard kiss onto his lips. He seemed surprised, but quickly recovered, wrapping his strong arms around my torso and pulling me completely to his chest.

I was the first to pull away, though I kept my arms wrapped around Dimitri.

"Hi," I said quietly, giving him one more peck on the lips.

"Hey," he said back, looking at me in amusement and content. "You seem happy," he said, echoing the same words Lissa had said to me earlier.

I shrugged and replied, "I am."

"So you aren't worried about everything that's happening?" he asked cautiously.

"I am," I repeated. "But I don't want to stress myself out any more on something I don't have any control over. Plus you're still looking into it, right?" I asked, taking a quick glance over my shoulder at the paperwork laid out in front of Dimitri.

He nodded immediately. "I am. I've already cancelled out half of the list, but unfortunately I don't know if I'll be able to make much progress this weekend considering there's a storm coming," he said apologetically, as if it was completely his fault that a snowstorm would cause this whole ordeal to be delayed further.

"Its okay," I said quickly, not wanting him to feel guilty over something he didn't have control over. "I think this is the last big snowstorm of the year," I told him.

"Yeah I heard that, too. So what do you want to do while we're stuck here all weekend?"

I shrugged and thought of everything we could do together. "We can watch movies, play board games, drink hot chocolate," I listed each thing off. I leaned closer to him, lowering my voice seductively. "And we can make up for the time we missed with each other this past week," I said suggestively, running my hand up and down his chest slowly.

Dimitri tipped his head back and groaned, before looking at me again, his eyes darker than they had been a moment ago.

"That sounds like a good way to spend the weekend," he whispered, moving his mouth closer to mine. Just as our lips touched, he pulled back quickly, his eyes widening in surprise.

"What?" I asked, his sudden change in demeanor surprising me.

"We're out of hot chocolate."

I took a step back, removing myself from Dimitri's arms.

"Excuse me?"

"We're out of hot chocolate," he repeated. "I used the last two packets yesterday afternoon," he said apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck.

I peeked behind Dimitri to see the snow coming down heavily.

I grabbed Dimitri's hand, pulling him to his feet.

"Well let's go Comrade, before we get snowed in here without any hot chocolate to keep us warm."

"Well I think I have a few packets of green tea," he said, pointing to the cabinet.

I abruptly let go of his hand, taking a step back.

"How dare you compare hot chocolate to green tea," I said, cringing. "Like what the fuck," I said walking towards the front door.

"Language!" Dimitri scolded, looking astonished at what I just said.

"Hey I warned you last night that I had a colorful vocabulary. I'm just getting you used to it," I said. I heard Dimitri grumble something in Russian behind me, before we both made our way to his truck.

He drove slowly to the nearest grocery store, which was luckily only 5 minutes away from his house.

"It's a good thing we made a trip here, there's a few more things we should grab just in case," Dimitri said parking the car. We both got out and rushed in, seeking the warmth of the store. It was pretty much deserted save for an older couple and the store clerk.

"Grab whatever you want, but be quick so we can make it home before it gets too bad outside," he told, pushing the shopping cart towards the produce aisle.

I nodded, quickly walking over to the snack aisle, grabbing chocolate donuts, two large bags of chips, and three boxes of hot chocolate packets. I trudged back to Dimitri, dropping all of the items into his cart.

He looked at the unhealthy items, chuckling and shaking his head.

He paid and we made our way outside. As Dimitri was loading the truck, I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh, cool air blowing with the snow. Even though I was tired of the cold weather, there was something so calming and serene about snow that a person couldn't help but revel in it's simplistic beauty.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back into his chest.

"Are you trying to get hypothermia?" Dimitri asked, his lips brushing against my ear. I smiled and turned around in his arms.

He was wearing a knit hat pulled over his ears, and chose to wear a thicker winter jacket rather than his signature duster. Some of the snowflakes had landed on his face and got caught in his eyelashes. His tan cheeks were lightly pink from the harsh cold, yet I couldn't help but find him so beautiful in this very moment.

He titled his head at me and asked, "What?"

I smiled and shook my head, "Nothing, ready to go?"

He looked at me again, with a questioning yet amused gaze, probably wondering why I was smiling at him like an idiot. I stood up on my tiptoes, and pressed my lips against his. Though our bodies were cold, his lips instantly warmed mine up. I allowed my tongue to explore his mouth, savoring the feel of his tongue brushing against my own. I was the first to pull away and tugged at his hand.

"Let's go home," I whispered. He wordlessly followed me into his truck and we made our way back to his place.

At home, we took off our coats and boots, shaking the snow off our bodies.

"I'm going to go change out of this outfit. Can you make me a cup of hot chocolate?" I asked Dimitri, half way up the steps.

"How about I just bring it up. We can have an early night if you want," he said. Hot chocolate in bed with Dimitri sounded even better. I nodded at him and made my way to my room to change into tights and a plain white tee shirt. I debated on whether I should wear a bra or not, but if we were going to go to bed soon, I'd rather not have it on. I made my way to Dimitri's room, turning on only one of his lights in the corner of his room so it was still pretty dark and cozy.

Dimitri came in a few minutes later to find me already sitting up in his bed, the comforter pulled up to my chest.

He handed me my mug and I inhaled the sweet aroma of chocolate, allowing it to fill my senses. He went into the bathroom and changed into a pair of sweats and tee shirt, before joining me in bed.

I sipped and moaned at how perfect the drink tasted.

"How do you get it to taste so good?" I asked him.

"The secret is to use two packets instead of one."

"No wonder why we go through hot chocolate so quickly," I said, smiling at Dimitri over my mug.

"I learned it from my mom, actually," he said, leaning back against the bed frame with his own mug in his hand. My eyebrows shot up in surprise, urging Dimitri to continue. I noticed he rarely ever spoke of his family, but when he did, a soft expression always made its way across his face.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was like her go to remedy any time my sisters and I were upset. Whether we were stressed about a bad grade or my sisters were crying about some breakup, my mom would always have a cup of hot chocolate ready for us. And she would let us sit there and drink it in peace until we were ready to tell her what it was that was bothering us." He smiled, recalling the memory of his mother.

"When was the last time you saw her?" I asked, wanting to hear more about his family.

"It's been over a year. I try to go at least once a year, but it tends to get difficult getting away from work," he shrugged like it was nothing, but I could tell how much he really missed them.

"They probably miss having you around. Judging by your height, your mom probably never had to buy a step stool or ladder until you moved out," I teased him.

Dimitri laughed loudly at my comment and I instantly smiled, the sound of his laughter filling me with warmth.

"That is true, but the Belikova women are strong. They don't need me around, but they do wish I visited more often."

"You should go Dimitri! Seriously, life is too short to always be worrying about work. That'll all still be here once you get back," I told him in all seriousness.

"Are you going to make me?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes," I replied immediately. He smiled in my direction and nodded.

"I'll go, maybe closer to the summer time though when it isn't so cold there."

"Good," I said, finishing off the rest of my hot chocolate and placing the mug on the side table.

"Plus it must get lonely, right? Living by yourself?" I asked him. He looked over at me slightly surprised at my comment. "I mean, I don't know how it was before I came here, but you hardly stay home. You spend most of your time at work," I pointed out.

Dimitri didn't say anything for a few moments and I wondered if I said something I shouldn't have. Finally he spoke.

"Sometimes it does," he said softly. "But I haven't felt lonely in a while," he added, looking towards me again.

"No?" I asked him.

He grabbed my hand and tugged me over to him so I was sitting across his lap. The sudden change in Dimitri startled me, but I wasn't complaining being closer to him.

"No," he said back, finally. I didn't say anymore to him and neither did Dimitri. I was more focused on the look Dimitri was giving me. His eyes were darker than usual, and he was looking at me so intently, I felt like he was staring into my soul.

"Can I tell you something," Dimitri asked quietly. I didn't trust my voice at the moment, but nodded.

"Sometimes you scare me Rose," he whispered.

I pulled back slightly in surprise.

"Why?"

"Because I tell you things I can't even tell myself," he admitted. "Actually, its more that you seem to know things about me without me even having to tell you."

"That scares you?" I asked him.

He thought my question over before replying. "I'm not used to people knowing things about me, or wanting to know. It's just different for me, I guess."

I looked at Dimitri in a whole new light. If you met him, you wouldn't think he was such a closed off individual. Yeah he kept to himself most of the time, but he was so warm and welcoming that it was hard to imagine that he kept his own personal feelings and emotions buried so deep within him.

"I want to know you," I said. "I want to know you like no one else does."

Dimitri looked at me in surprise at my statement. As he stared at me, I took the time to trail my hands up his biceps to wrap around his shoulders.

"And I want you to know me like no one else does," I whispered, moving my face closer to his.

Dimitri let out a gust of air at my admission, before grabbing my chin and capturing my lips with his own. I immediately and enthusiastically responded back, opening my mouth to his awaiting tongue. I moved one of my legs over so I was straddling Dimitri. He used the new position to pull me closer to him so my breasts were pressed tightly against the hard muscles of his chest. As I groaned into Dimitri's mouth, I felt something hard pushing up against the inside of my thigh. I pulled away from Dimitri's mouth and looked down between us to see the hard length of his erection straining against the fabric of his sweats.

I usually avoided contact with his manhood, too nervous to take that next step with Dimitri.

Even now, I don't think I was ready to see him completely bare, but this was the first time I was observing him so closely.

"Rose," he said, his voice sounding rough from our kissing. I glanced up quickly to see he looked slightly embarrassed by his current situation.  
I didn't want him to be embarrassed though.

I looked back down between us, noticing how thick and long Dimitri was. Even with Nathan, I always avoided looking at him naked. It was something I never got used to, which was why I was hesitant to see all of Dimitri. But curiosity got the best of me and I raised myself slightly and placed my core directly on top of his manhood.

Sounds of pleasure left both of us at the feeling of his erection pushed directly against my core.

I looked back at Dimitri to he was clenching his jaw tight. His eyes were taken over completely by lust and I was positive mine were, too.

I pulled Dimitri away from the bed frame, and he followed my movements wordlessly. I pushed him onto his back and mounted him again, moaning at the feel of his arousal pushing against the thin fabric of my tights.

His hands instantly came up to my hips, squeezing them tightly. I placed my hands on his lower stomach, feeling his abs contracting beneath my hands. I moved my body slightly against his, feeling his length brushing against my femininity.

"Rose," Dimitri groaned. I was entranced by the image of his manhood trapped in between my wet folds. Even though there were multiple layers of clothes between us, I could feel my wetness dripping onto his heated erection.

I rolled my hips again, whimpering at the feeling. Dimitri moved his hands underneath my shirt, surprised to feel my bare breasts brushing against the palms of his hands.

He quickly took a hold of them, pinching my aching nipples between his thumb and forefingers, causing me to moan out his name.

"Keep moving Roza, take what you need from me," Dimitri said, his voice husky and rough.

I obliged, rolling my hips back and forth, enjoying the sensations of his thick cock grinding against my slit.

It didn't take long for the feeling of his length pushing erotically against me to bring me to close to completion. As I moved over his throbbing manhood, Dimitri bucked his hips slightly up, causing more pressure to rub against my clit.

"Dimitri," I moaned, bunching the fabric of his shirt up between my hands.

As I got closer to finishing, my moans got louder and Dimitri immediately moved his hands back to my hips, urging me back and forth over him quickly.

"That's it Roza, let go," he grunted and I came, shuddering on top of Dimitri and tightening my knees against his hips.

As the final tremors ran through my body, I slumpt forward, falling into Dimitri's awaiting arms.

My breaths were still coming out in pants, and I could feel Dimitri rubbing his hand gently through my hair.

"That's my girl," he whispered, as sleep began to take over my senses. "That's my girl."

The rest of Dimitri and I's weekend was spent similar to that fashion. There were some instances where we didn't even need to talk, and just basked in the comfort of each other's presence.

I felt like we had taken another step in our relationship. Like another layer was stripped away from between us, baring our true selves for the other to see.

The school was closed Monday due to the snow, but I had to go back Tuesday. My mood felt dampened for having Dimitri and I's weekend alone together to come to an end, but I was still grateful for the time I got with him.

"I think I might join dance again," I said to Lissa during lunch.

She stopped eating immediately and looked at me surprised.

"No way!" she exclaimed loudly.

"Yes way," I replied, a lot calmer than her.

"Are you going to stay today?" she asked me eagerly.

I hadn't bought my dance gear with me and didn't tell Dimitri if I was 100% sure about starting, so I wasn't going to start so quickly.

"Probably next week. I just need to run it by the coach."

"We're actually in the process of switching right now anyway."

"What happened with Coach Karp?" I asked.

"She's pregnant, so she's on maternity leave."

"Aw that's amazing! So who's going to coach?" I asked her.

"I have no idea, but hopefully she isn't too hard on us," Lissa said, taking another bite of her salad.

"Agreed," I nodded, continuing with my lunch.

The rest of the day went by uneventfully, and I was looking forward to getting home.

I needed to run by the idea of joining dance again, and I hoped Dimitri thought it was safe enough for me to do so.

When I had arrived home from school later, I was surprised to see my parent's car parked next to Dimitri's truck. They hadn't mentioned anything about stopping by, so their visit immediately put me on edge. I parked my car and quickly made my way into the house to see what was going on.

As I walked in, I could see two suitcases sitting by the front door. Upon a closer look, I noticed that they were mine.

I dropped my book bag off by the front door and walked into the kitchen to see Dimitri with his arms crossed, leaning against the kitchen counter. His head was lowered, but he seemed tense. My parents were both sitting on the opposite side of Dimitri, and with one look at their expression, I knew they were pissed.

"Is everything okay?" I asked cautiously, making my way slowly to where my parents were sitting. My mother completely ignored me, but my dad looked up briefly, before sliding over a manila folder that was sitting in front of him, over to me.

"You tell us," he said, before going back to his previous stance. I looked at the folder and then at Dimitri, wordlessly asking him what was going on.

He looked at me with a mixture of guilt and regret mixed together, and I knew there had to be something terribly wrong.

My hands shook as I reached for the folder and emptied out the contents of it in my hand.  
The first was a loose-leaf piece of paper. I unfolded it, my eyes skimming over the two lines and gasping out loud at what I read.

 _It seems like you have taken a liking to older, Russian men._

 _You will regret this._

I quickly looked at the other thing that was in the folder, and saw it was a photograph. I turned it over and my eyes widened in surprise.

The picture was of Dimitri and I, wrapped around each other tightly outside of the grocery store, kissing each other deeply.  
Someone had taken the picture of us from the other night, informing Nathan, which led to my parents finding out.

Oh god, this was not good.

I quickly shoved the two things back in the folder and looked at my parents, only to see they were staring a hole through me, waiting for whatever bullshit response I was going to give them.

"I can explain," I quickly blurted, though I didn't know how I could lie myself out of this one.

"Oh please do Rose, tell us how it is that you could do something this stupid behind our back?" My mom said, her tone laced with anger and betrayal.

"Nothing happened, Dimitri and I are…we're just…" I trailed off, loss for words.

"You're what? Fucking each other when your father and I have been worrying over your wellbeing and safety?" My mom spewed out and my father winced at the accusation. I was shocked at her crude words. My parents were both blunt individuals, but I didn't think she would make a conclusion like that without even letting me explain myself.

"That's not what's happening! I swear, we haven't done that!"

"Yet! How long before he lured you into his bed Rose," my mom retorted. I looked over at Dimitri, only to see his eyebrows scrunched together in frustration. I knew he wanted to say something, but didn't want to make it worse.

"It's not like that mom, please believe me," I pleaded with her.  
She scoffed and turned away from me.

"I can't believe you kept this from us Rose," she said, shaking her head in disappointment.

I looked at my dad, only to see his expression hadn't changed once since I had gotten here.

"Baba, he hasn't done anything wrong. I would've been the first ones to tell you. He hasn't touched me without my permission."

"But he has touched you Rose," my father said quietly. I wanted to lie and deny everything, but the proof was in the picture. My father took my silence as confirmation. "We trusted him to protect you, we trusted him to take care of you better than your own parents could, and this is what you two have been doing behind our back. Need I remind you that you are only 17 years old young lady, I could have this man arrested."

I quickly grabbed my dad's hands, tears welling up in my eyes at the thought of Dimitri getting into trouble because of me.

"No baba please, please don't do this to me, to him. Look at me, I'm standing in front of you alive and breathing because of that man right there. I'm holding your hands and speaking with you because of him. You can't take him away from me," I pleaded with him. I could see my dad's eyes softening slightly at my emotional response, but I was pulled away from him at the sound of my mother speaking again.

"Oh my goodness, are you in love with him?" she asked incredulously, like she couldn't believe she even had to ask that question.

I stared at her, unable to respond. Was I in love with Dimitri? That overwhelming feeling of content that I felt at the sight or mention of Dimitri; was that love?

I looked over at him only to see that he was already looking at me with the same expression. What was this that we were both feeling for one another. This wasn't a typical relationship in the slightest so we weren't following the conventional methods a couple would usually follow. One where they would get to know each other by going on dates, falling into bed together, before finally voicing their admission of love.

Dimitri and I's relationship was completely different. I moved in with him, we got to know each other, and technically speaking, I had already fallen into bed with him. I knew I cared about him and cared for me, too but that was it.

Neither of us had a chance to contemplate further on what my mom asked before she pulled me out of my trance once again.

"You know what, it doesn't matter because this," she said gesturing between Dimitri and I, "is ending right here." She stood up, pulling my dad to his feet, too. "Rose, grab your bags, we are leaving this instance."

I looked at her shocked, and glanced at Dimitri only to see that he had also pushed himself off of the counter.

"Where are you taking her?" he asked, his voice mixed with panic and fear.

"Home, where she belongs. Not that it's any of your business."

"It's not safe for her to go back there just yet, not until we figure out who it is that's been watching her," Dimitri said, trying to reason with her. I knew he was closer to finding it out, but he had told me there was still some work to do.

"I don't care! She is a lot safer with us than she is with you. You should be happy we aren't pressing charges. Our family has had enough court drama to last us a lifetime. Now let's go Rose!" She said gripping my wrist tightly and dragging me to the front door.

I looked back at Dimitri, and he looked torn. I knew he wanted to stop my parents, to reason with them about why it was important I stay here with him, but they were too upset to listen to anything right now.

"I don't want to, please don't make me leave him," I cried to my father, looking back and forth between him and Dimitri. I was worried that he would be the scarier one in this situation, but it seemed like I could reason with him a lot easier than I could with my mom.

"Baba please," I pleaded. I ripped my hand from my mother's hold as we reached the front door and folded my hands in front of my dad.

"Kizm, we are doing this for you. Please, do not fight us on this, we are being far more lenient than either of you deserve."

I looked at Dimitri, my lip quivering at the thought of having to leave him behind. He quickly masked up his own emotions, moving closer to me yet being careful not to touch me, but I wasn't having it.

I took a hold of his right hand, squeezing it so tightly that I was surprised he wasn't in pain.

"Don't make me go," I whimpered, ignoring my mom's harsh voice telling me to hurry up.

"I can't," he whispered, his voice cracking. He swallowed roughly, and placed his left hand over our joined hands. "Go with your parents. We'll figure this out, but right now I need you to listen to them and go."

More tears welled up in my eyes and I shook my head, not trusting my voice at the moment.

I felt my dad's hand firmly grab a hold of my shoulder. "Let's go kizm," he said softly.

I didn't turn around, but kept my eyes glued to Dimitri's, wordlessly begging him to keep me here with him.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he told me in a complete seriousness. "We will figure this out, but for now you need to listen to your parents."

I squeezed his hand tighter refusing to let go. Dimitri pried my fingers off of his hand, lightly pushing me back into my father's awaiting arms. "Go Roza," he pleaded, his voice rough with emotion.

My father wrapped his arm around my shoulders and urged me out of the front door. I didn't turn away from Dimitri, his image blurring from the amount of tears that were streaming down my face.

I felt like my body wasn't my own as my dad walked to the passenger side of his car and pushed me in. I heard my mom say something to me, but her words didn't register in my head. I allowed my dad to buckle me in, and he brushed a quick kiss on my forehead, apologizing quietly. For what, I didn't know.

I didn't know anything except that I felt as if I was leaving a part of my heart and soul in that house.


	15. Chapter 15

**I don't think I have ever written so much in such a short amount of time before. Its honestly weird, because as much as I hate romance, I can't help but love writing out romantic scenes between Dimitri and Rose. It's also odd writing out scenes between Abe and Rose, because I also call my dad Baba so I always imagine him when I'm writing about him lol**

 **This chapter is pretty eventful. I don't think I'll be able to update as quickly because it is the start of a new semester and I have a wedding to go to this weekend.**

 **I really hope you all like this chapter and please let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All character belong to Richelle Mead**

 ** _Dimitri's POV_**

I walked into work early the next morning with a purpose. Enough was enough. I had to find out who it was that was stalking Rose, even if it was the last thing I do.

I rubbed the heel of my hand against my eyes, feeling the familiar sting from lack of sleep making my whole head throb.

Rose wasn't the only one who had gotten used to a bedside companion. I tried all night to fall asleep, but the scent of her lavender and vanilla shampoo was on my pillows and sheets, torturing my subconscious into believing she was sleeping right next to me. And it wasn't until I woke up clutching her pillow tightly to my chest that I realized I was completely and utterly alone.

I felt like a complete freak, so hung up on a girl I had only known for a few weeks.

But I knew these feelings went beyond normal affection.

Janine had been right in her accusation.

I was in love with Rose, and it wasn't until she was taken from me that I realized just how big of a space she had taken up in my heart.

Which was why I was even more dedicated into finding out who it was that Nathan had stalking Rose.

"Whoa, where's the fire big guy?" Adrian joked when he saw me quickly making my way to my desk

I didn't respond, quickly dropping down into my seat and organizing all of the paperwork and information I had collected on Nathan since his letters had started up once again.

I had cleared off 6 of the 10 names of the people who had either called or visited him in the prison since his arrest. There were four names left on the list and they were all men.

"What's all this Dimka?" Ivan asked, coming to stand by my desk and looking at all of the paperwork I had scattered across it.

"Is that Nabakov?" Adrian asked, picking up one of the images of Nathan, speaking with someone through the glass.

I nodded, too focused to make conversation with the two men, right now.

"Why are you searching up on him? He's already in prison," Ivan asked in a questioning tone.

I ignored him again and asked a question of my own.

"Can you pull up camera footage outside of Whole Foods Grocers from Friday around 5:30 p.m.?"

Ivan and Adrian gave each other confused glances before focusing their attention back on me.

"Yeah, I can. Why do you need it Dimka?"

I needed it to see who was outside that grocery store, taking pictures of Rose and I. And if I was lucky, the person would match one of the four remaining people I had left on my list of suspects.

Ivan and Adrian were both waiting for me to respond and I knew that if I needed their help, I would need to trust them with everything I knew so far.

I looked around the office to see no one else was paying attention to us, before turning towards the men once again.

"Nathan has someone spying on Rose and taking pictures of her. Whoever it is was at the grocery store Friday, spying on Rose and I. I have a list of suspects so far and I want to see if I can match who ever took the picture to one of the people on the list."

Ivan nodded and immediately walked to his desk, getting to work. I breathed a sigh of relief for not having to urge him more to help me.

Adrian picked up the list with the names on it, analyzing each one.

"Have you already listened to all of their phone calls?" He asked.

"I listened to the six who's name I crossed off. The times they called didn't correspond to when any of the pictures or letters came so they had nothing to do with it."

"You said the picture was taken Friday?" Adrian asked, walking back towards his desk and opening up his own computer.

"Yeah," I nodded, wondering what he was getting at.

"And when did you get the picture?" he asked.

"Her parents got it in the mail Tuesday morning."

Adrian contemplated what I said and starting typing away at his computer rapidly.

"Then what we need to do is see who he's spoken to between Friday and Tuesday. Because who ever took that picture was sure to have gotten into contact with him between one of those days."

I stared at him, my mouth hung open.

"Adrian you're a genius," I said, quickly walking over to him.

"Thanks I get that a lot," he said cockily.

He pulled up all of the phone records from the prison and searched for whoever called Nathan.

"Fuck," he said, his eyebrows scrunching together in frustration.

"What?" I asked, looking between him and the computer screen.

"Whoever he spoke to had a burner phone so we can't trace it back to anyone. Let's listen to the conversation though. Hopefully he slips up and says the person's name."

Adrian put one headphone into his ear and gave me the other to put into mine.

He pressed play on the recording and we both listened carefully.

"Hello," a female voice spoke. Adrian and I whipped our heads around to each other in surprise. I picked up my list and saw that there was not one female suspect on the list.

"What do you have for me?" We heard Nathan ask the person, completely skipping over all pleasantries.

"Well you were right about one thing. She was definitely with another man," the female said.

Nathan let out a string of curses, both in Russian and English, anger seeping out of his tone.

"Who is he?" he asked, his voice hard.

"The same guy who made your arrest," the female told him.

"Belikov," Nathan breathed out. An uneasy feeling crept up my back at hearing my name come out of Nathan's mouth.

"Did you get a picture of them together?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," the female responded. Yeah I knew all too well she got her fucking picture.

"I'll send the letter over to Rose's house, and I want you to put the picture with it," he told her.

"Got it," the female responded. My hands clenched in anger at being played so easily. I should've been keeping track of his calls from day one.

Someone had slipped right underneath our noses so easily, that they were able to personally deliver letters to Rose's house without any of us having a single clue.

"When can I come see you," the female asked, and I could detect a bit of hurt in her tone.

"You know it's not safe for you to come here," Nathan whispered affectionately. My eyes widened in surprise to hear such a soft tone come from his mouth. From the reports of Rose's kidnapping and everything she had told me herself, Nathan was anything but nice. But judging from his tone, he felt a great deal of affection for the female he was speaking to.

"Okay," the female said begrudgingly. "I'll call you again if I find out something important," she said once the operative tone on the phone indicated there was less than a minute left to their phone call.

"I'll be waiting," he said. After a moment he mumbled, "Ya lyublyu tebya."

My eyes widened in surprise at hearing Nathan tell this female he loved her in Russian.

"Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu," she replied back in perfect Russian, before the call was cut.

Adrian and I sat there in stunned silence, listening to the dial tone and going over the phone call in our head.

"What the fuck," Adrian finally said. "I mean if he has another woman, why the hell is he still after Rose?"

I had no idea what to say to Adrian, because I was confused, too.

These two were obviously well acquainted with one another if she was doing his dirty work for him, and then they both tell each other "I love you."

This case just got a whole lot more confusing.

"I got bad news Dimka," Ivan said walking over to Adrian and I. "There was so much snow Friday that there is not one clear image I could pull from the cameras outside of the grocery store."

"Fuck," I groaned, tipping my head back.

I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling more frustrated then ever.

"I might as well throw this list away since neither of these men were the ones taking the pictures," I said crumpling up the paper and throwing it in the trashcan.

"Does he have any relatives or close female friends that you may have skipped over," Adrian asked me.

I shook my head and walked back to my desk, picking up the folder I had on Nathan. Aside from all of the pictures we had gathered of him leading up to his arrest, there was only one personal picture of him. I picked it up, walking back to Adrian's desk and dropping the picture for both men to see.

"Nathan was dropped off at an orphanage in Moscow at the age of 2 with no known relatives listed. He stayed there until he was 17, leaving to come to America and starting his drug empire. That," I said, pointing to the grainy image, "is the only picture we have of him from Russia."

The picture was that a young boy, no older than 10, sitting on the steps of the orphanage in Moscow. There was no other picture of him or any type of reference I could use to find this female that had called Nathan.

All I could do was wait until one of them decided to screw up.

The next few days weren't any better. I did my assigned work, while also keeping close tabs on every thing having to do with Nathan, while still trying to track down who this mystery female could be.

I knew I needed to speak with Rose about this. I told her I would be completely honest with her about this investigation and I wasn't going to go back on my word. Not to mention, Rose might have some insight on who this female might be.

I wanted to have a clearer understanding of who we were dealing with before I dragged Rose back into this mess.

She was already struggling this week as is, so I didn't want to add onto the pile of her burdens.

I was ashamed to admit that I had been visiting her every night while she was asleep without her knowledge. I felt like a first class creep, sneaking into her bedroom and sitting with her while she slept, but I couldn't let her sleep alone knowing she might experience another one of her nightmares without having me there to calm her down.

The officer I had stationed outside of her house knew who I was so it was easy for me to go in and locate Rose's room.  
Even in the dark, I could see the stress etched onto her face.

I wanted to take it all away from. She had been through so much in such a short amount of time. She deserved to finally have some peace in her life.

I never stayed long in her room, worried that she would wake up and become emotional, making it even harder for me to leave her.

Each night, my feet felt like led as I forced myself away from her. I knew it was wrong what I was doing. Her parents could easily find out and have me arrested this time, but I needed to make sure my Roza was okay. Even though sleep still came difficultly for me, I at least went to bed with a sense of relief knowing that Rose was sleeping okay.

I didn't know how much longer I could go without actually talking to her, and knew one these days, my resolve would break and I would need to hear her voice again.

 ** _Rose's POV_**

I functioned like zombie throughout this week, unable to hold a conversation or pay attention to anything that was going on around me.

Lissa tried to get me to speak with her, since it was clear I was dealing with a lot, but I wasn't ready to share the emotions I had been feeling so deeply.

I hadn't seen or spoken to Dimitri in a week. I had no clue what was happening with him or if he was in trouble.  
To be honest, I was kind of nervous to face him.

This isn't what he had signed up for when he promised my parents to guard me. I was the one who initiated everything between us and I was the one who kissed him outside of that grocery store.

Dimitri hadn't done anything wrong, I was the one to blame for everything that had happened. What I was scared about was that Dimitri would think and feel the same way I did.

That he would blame me for the position I had put him in.

My dad tried to normalize the strained relationship between us, but I wasn't ready to just pretend like everything was okay so quickly.

My mom, on the other hand, was cold and threw in snide comments whenever she had the chance.

I didn't even have the strength to argue with her, because she was just as stubborn as I was and didn't care to hear anything it was that I had to say to her.

Friday afternoon, I was holed up in my room, just like I was ever since my parents bought me back here. I would come home from school, eat a silent and cringe-worthy dinner with them, then I would escape into my room to wallow in my own self misery.

I was sitting up in bed, doing homework when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," I said, putting my pencil down. My dad walked into the room and looked at me cautiously, gauging my reaction to seeing him.

"What are you up to Kiz?"

"Nothing, just finishing up some homework," I said, gesturing to the pile that I had laid out in front of me.

My dad nodded his head, tugging at his gold earring.

"Did you want to watch a movie with your mom and I? I promise I'll make sure she's on her best behavior."

"I'm not really in the mood Baba," I said apologetically. I felt bad turning my dad down, but I couldn't force myself to sit through a movie with my parents, especially knowing how snappy my mom had been lately.

"You sure," he asked.

"I'm sure," I said. He nodded again and walked towards the door. He stopped right at the entrance looking back at me once again.

"I know its hard right now Kizm, but I promise it'll get better," he said softly.

"Will it?" I asked in all seriousness. Only a few days had gone by since I had last seen Dimitri and I felt like I was losing my mind.  
I felt his presence even though I knew he wasn't there. When I would walk into my school, I felt oddly safe, like I just knew in my heart that Dimitri was out there somewhere, making sure no harm came my way. And at night, when I would feel the oncoming pull of a nightmare forming when I was asleep, Dimitri's scent would fill my senses so suddenly, that the bad dream would disappear just as quickly as it came.

I must seriously be losing my mind if I was starting to smell him in my room, I thought.

"Will it?" I asked my dad again, after he didn't respond.

"Eventually," he said. "Everything will get easier after some time."

I nodded, not feeling any better from his answer.

"Enjoy your movie Baba," I said, giving him a small smile. My parents weren't at fault in this mess. No one was, except Nathan and whoever he had working for him.

"Thanks Kiz, have a good night," he said, before walking out and shutting the door behind him.

I released a deep breath and fell back into bed, feeling incredibly exhausted from the whirlwind of feelings and emotions running through my body.

I missed Dimitri. I missed him so much, it made my soul ache.

I heaved myself up and finished the last bit of my homework before getting ready for bed.

Though I was tired from the long week I had, sleep did not come easy to me.

I tossed and turned for an hour, eyeing my phone resting on my side table.

I grabbed it, contemplating if I should do what I've been dying to do since the day I came back to my parents house.

I clicked on the phone icon and scrolled down until his name came into view.

Should I call him?

He had my number, if he had wanted to speak with me, he could've called me, too.

Or maybe he thought my parents had my phone and that's why I hadn't heard from him.

Ugh, this was so confusing.

I tip toed out of bed and eased my door open, listening for any sound in the house. It was completely quiet indicating my parents were already in their room, asleep.

I shut the door again, quietly walking back to my bed and laying down.

I nestled myself underneath my blanket and picked up my phone once again, my thumb hovering above his name.

Without thinking much of it, I clicked on his name and put the phone against my ear.

Before the second ring, he picked up.

"Roza," Dimitri's accented voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket. He seemed surprised and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, overwhelmed by just the sound of his voice.

"I miss you Dimitri," I whispered into the phone.

A part of me had been missing since my parents bought me back to this house. Every part of my soul ached for him.

"I miss you, too Roza," he said, and I could hear the pain in his voice matching my own.

I felt a tear leak out of my eye, suddenly feeling as if I had no one. I was trying so hard to keep a hold on my emotions all week, but just the sound of Dimitri's voice was weakening my resolve. I was in a house with two people who loved me, yet I felt utterly alone without Dimitri here.

"I need you," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "I need to see you. Is there any way you can come here?" I asked.

I heard Dimitri sigh and after a moment, he quietly admitted.

"I've been coming to you every night Roza. There was no way I could leave you alone, and I didn't want you to sleep without me," he told me. I sat up in my bed in surprise. I hadn't made it up in my mind. Dimitri really had come to me in the night giving me the comfort only he could provide me.

"Why didn't you wake me?" If I had known Dimitri had been here every night, I would have stayed awake with him instead of sleeping.

"Everything is already so complicated as is Rose, I don't want to confuse you anymore because of feelings that I have. It was enough for me to know I was there with you when I know you needed me."

"Will you come again tonight," I asked, eagerly waiting for him to reply.

"Yes," he breathed out.

I fell back into bed and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of joy I hadn't felt all week coming over me at the thought of seeing Dimitri soon.

"I need you," I repeated again, a different type of ache taking over my body just thinking about Dimitri.

He could clearly hear the need in my voice and quietly groaned.

"Will you kiss me when you get here?" I whispered to him.

"I will Roza. Where do you want me to kiss you?" he asked, his accent coming out thick. His voice and the anticipation for not just his arrival, but what we were about to engage in was leaving me breathless. And despite the freezing winter night, I could feel my skin burning up in arousal.

"Everywhere," I told him.

"I'll take care of you once I'm there. I need to taste you again, its been too long," his voice whispered into my ear and I moaned at the thought of Dimitri's head buried between my legs. It really had been too long.

"Touch yourself Roza," he demanded before I had the chance to reply.

My eyes widened in response and I could feel a blush creeping up my neck.

"Really?" I asked him.

"Yes," he said immediately. "What are you wearing right now?"

I looked down at my outfit and truthfully replied, feeling embarrassed once again.

"My tights and a hoodie." I was about to justify my sleepwear choice by telling him it was literally freezing outside, but he cut in before I had the chance.

"Take off your tights and touch yourself," he said, his arousal and authoritative tone mixing together, causing an uncomfortable ache to take root between my thighs.

"Yes sir," I whispered, quickly ridding myself of my sweats and getting comfortable in my bed once again. I heard Dimitri quietly groan in satisfaction at what I called him and it pleased me even more knowing I was causing him to have such a reaction.

For the next several minutes, Dimitri took my mind off of everything that was happening around me by telling me exactly what he wanted me to do to myself. He told me how I should lay, where and how he wanted me to touch myself and with each command, I told him "yes sir." In his husky accented voice, he recalled all of the previous intimate encounters we've shared and made promises of what he wanted to do with me once he saw me again.

It was like he was here with me, watching me pleasure myself, and making sure I followed each and every single one of his orders.

Eventually, the exhaustion of the week and the after affects of the pleasure sapped the last bit of energy I had left in my body.

And then I laid there, in a half dream-like state, waiting for Dimitri's arrival.

I don't know how much time had passed after I got off the phone with Dimitri. I stared at my ceiling, thinking all of the things I wanted to tell him. I had so many emotions bottled up inside of me and the only person I wanted to let them out in front of was Dimitri.

I looked at the time on my phone, noticing it was almost 2 a.m. I knew my parents were fast asleep down the hall. I felt an inkling of sleep trying to creep into my body, but I didn't want to risk falling asleep without seeing and talking to Dimitri.

A little while later, I heard the floorboards lightly creak outside of my bedroom door. If I hadn't been paying attention, then I would have surely missed it. Not even a second later, my door cracked open and the big body of Dimitri's silhouette came into view, stopping right at the threshold.

"Dimitri?" I whispered into the darkness, reaching out to him. I lifted my head off the pillow as the figure came closer and immediately, the familiar scent of Dimitri filled my senses. A cry ripped out of my throat as I leaped off my bed and into Dimitri's awaiting arms.

We both gripped each other tightly, trying to get as close as we could to one another.

"I missed you," his accented voice said into my ear. I tightened my arms around him even more.

"I missed you, too," I whispered, mindful of the fact that we weren't alone in the house.

We both loosened our hold enough to look at each other. Dimitri dropped his head down, brushing his lips against my cheeks, forehead, and then lips.

I needed more, though and pressed my lips harder against his, missing the feel of how perfectly his lips molded against my own.

I pulled away slightly, tugging him towards my bed. He got the hint, kicking off his shoes and pulling his duster off, before settling down next to me. He had on a knit sweater, and jeans. I only had my hoodie on, having took off my sweats when I was on the phone with Dimitri.

I had told myself that I would tell Dimitri everything that had been bothering me since I was forced to leave him. But how could I trudge up the sorrows I felt in my heart, when one look at Dimitri's face caused each and every single drop of sadness I felt in me to completely vanish.

"I can't believe you're here," I said, still in shock to see him sitting with me on the bed, in the darkness of my room.

"I couldn't stay away from you Rose," he mumbled, looking down at our joined hands.

Dimitri was literally the strongest and tallest man I had ever met, but he must be the lightest person on his feet, if neither me, nor my parents had heard him come here all week.

"I was scared when I didn't here from you," he said and I could tell he was embarrassed by his admission. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with me."

I quickly shook my head. "That was the last thing I was thinking. I felt guilty honestly, for putting you in a position where you could get into trouble because of me. I was worried you wouldn't want to hear from me," I told him truthfully.

"I don't care about anything, but you Rose," he said in complete seriousness.

"I kept thinking I was imagining you being here. I would wake up to your scent, but I seriously thought I was just loosing my mind."

"I had to be here for you Roza. I couldn't leave you alone… I just couldn't imagine you being alone when you needed me most." I reached up and rubbed my palm against his jaw, touched at how much he cared about me.

"I always need you. I'll always need you," I whispered, moving my face closer to Dimitri's. He gave me what I wanted, placing his hand behind my neck and pulling his mouth against mine. I felt him push his tongue past my lips and quietly groaned at the feel of his tongue brushing against my own.

Even though Dimitri and I had a lot to discuss, an ache had taken root in between my legs, despite what I had done just a few hours earlier to take care of myself.

Dimitri pulled himself away, but kept his face close so every time he spoke, his lips brushed against my own.

"What do you need from me Roza? I'll give you whatever you need. If you need to stay up all night crying or talking, then I'll stay up with you. Just tell me what you need," he spoke urgently, our pants mixing together.

"You, I just need you." I said, pulling his mouth back on to mine, and he understood what it was that I wanted.

His chest pushed against me, causing me to lie on my back, with Dimitri hovering above me. He moved his mouth away from mine, trailing his lips from my jaw all the way down to my neck.

"Dimitri," I panted, arching my back and pushing myself against him. Dimitri dragged one of his hands from my shoulders, moving it slowly down my body until he reached my breasts. His fingers found my nipples easily, pinching them between his thumb and forefinger despite my hoodie being in the way.

He continued his tour down my body, nudging my thighs apart so I was open for him to do as he pleased.

He moved his fingers to my heated center, rubbing against me gently. I moaned at the contact, while Dimitri hummed in appreciation at how wet I was.

"You need to stay quiet Roza," he whispered in my ear. I nodded, but wondered how I could possibly manage keeping quiet if Dimitri moved his mouth down there. He saw the apprehension in my eyes and suddenly I was flipped over onto my stomach. A moment later, I felt Dimitri's large hands grip my hips and lift my butt into the air.

I was completely bare from the waist down so every intimate part of my body was on display for Dimitri.

I should have felt embarrassed or vulnerable being spread out and so exposed for Dimitri, but I didn't. If anything, I wriggled my butt as I felt my arousal drip down the inside of my thighs.

I looked back over my shoulder to see Dimitri's eyes locked onto my dripping core. The look in his eyes caused me to wriggle again, snapping Dimitri out of his trance.

He moved forward on his knees and leaned over me, his erection pushing against my slit.

Dimitri brushed his lips against my ear. "Don't make a sound Roza," he whispered in a demanding tone. All I could do was nod in response, and buried my face deeper into the pillow. Dimitri moved away from my face until I couldn't see him anymore.

A moment later, I felt his hands slide up the back of my thighs slowly, causing me to slightly shiver. As he moved his hands up, his thumbs brushed against the inside of my legs, catching the wetness that had seeped out of me.

"You're so wet and ready for me Roza," I heard him whisper. Suddenly, his hands gripped my cheeks tightly, pulling them apart.

A blush crept up my neck and settled on my face and I was momentarily happy I wasn't able to see Dimitri looking at every single inch of me so openly.

There was no warning or easing into what he did next. One moment he was gripping my ass in his hands, and the next, I felt his mouth connect to my core.

I bit the pillow between my teeth, trying to keep my noises under control as I felt Dimitri's tongue explore every inch of my dripping femininity.

I felt his mouth enclose around my clit, sucking it into his mouth.

"Fuck," I gasped quietly, and pushed myself further into his eager mouth. My fingers gripped my sheets tightly as Dimitri continued to explore my flesh with his own.

Dimitri let go of my bundle of nerves, only to move his tongue all the way up to encircle the tight back hole nestled between my cheeks.

My face heated up further, arousal making my skin burn. Dimitri's mouth was relentless, alternating between nibbling on my clit to licking me between my cheeks.

Dimitri didn't want me to just cum; he wanted me to explode.

I began to wriggle some more as the ache in the pit of my stomach tightened, indicating how close I was to finishing. I pushed my butt eagerly towards Dimitri's mouth, urging him to keep his lips connected to my pussy.

He got the hint, moving his hands to roughly grip my hips once again. His mouth enclosed around my sensitive bundle of nerves and he groaned, causing vibrations to start from my core and run through my entire body.

I felt Dimitri suck my clit into his mouth and within seconds, I experienced a thunderous finish, biting down so hard into my pillow, I was surprised my teeth didn't rip through it.

Dimitri gently licked up and down my slit, calming me through my explosive orgasm. My breaths were coming out in pants and despite the freezing temperature, I could feel some of my hair stuck to my damp forehead.

Every bit of strength I had left in my body had all but left me as I fell back on to my bed.

I opened my eyes to see Dimitri, hovered over my body, his mouth slick from my juices.

I weakly reached my arms up, pulling his face down to mine to shove my tongue inside of his mouth, savoring the taste of myself on his tongue.

"How do you feel Roza," Dimitri whispered, once he pulled his mouth away from mine.

I let out a content, yet exhausted sigh, grinning like an idiot towards him. "So good, so good Dimitri."

He seemed satisfied by my answer and wrapped his strong arms around my frame, pulling me completely into his chest so he was lying on his back instead.

We lied there in silence for a while, wrapped up in each other's arms so tightly, I didn't where Dimitri began and I ended.

I let out a yawn and snuggled closer to Dimitri's chest.

"Go to sleep baby, you've had a long night," he said, rubbing his callused hands up and down my back.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" I asked him, looking up into his eyes. I already knew that was impossible. My parents had no idea Dimitri had been visiting me every night and would kill us both if they found out what we had just done together.

Dimitri eyes flashed with regret and he shook his head. I tightened my arms around him, my nails digging into the softness of his sweater.

I wasn't ready to let him go, yet. I didn't want to ever let go of him. The only time I was truly happy was when I was with Dimitri and if I couldn't have him, then I didn't want anyone.

"I need to go Roza," he mumbled regretfully, maneuvering himself in my arms so he could face me.

My bottom lip quivered and I could feel stinging behind my eyes.

"Please don't," he pleaded, and more tears welled up in my eyes. "You're breaking my heart Rose," his voice cracked. I felt his thumb brush beneath my eyes, catching the tears that spilled over.

"Don't go," I whimpered. "I've needed you all week. Don't leave me."

Even though it was dark out, the combination of the moon and snow cast a bright, natural light within the room, allowing me to see Dimitri's brown eyes shining down at me.

"Don't make this harder Rose," he whispered, brushing his lips against my forehead. I felt him start to pull away from me. I knew I was being irrational. There was no way Dimitri could stay here, and it would be near impossible for him to leave undetected once the sun came up.  
But I wasn't ready to part from him so soon. When my parents dragged me out of his house, I felt like I was leaving a piece of me there with him. Now, as he reluctantly began to put some space between us, I could feel my already aching heart, shattering even more.

I felt him brush his palms against my cheek, wiping the tears that had begun falling in a continuous stream.

Dimitri pried my arms away from him, pulling himself to his full height by my bed. He quickly pulled on his boots and put the duster back on.

I reached out blindly to him, silently crying out. "Please…" I whimpered, "don't leave me."

Dimitri groaned something in Russian, sounding like he was in pain, before dropping his forehead to rest against my own. I closed my eyes, and reached towards his face, running my fingers across his stubble-littered cheeks and soft lips.

Dimitri pursed his lips against my fingers, kissing them repeatedly before pulling away from me again.

"Will you come to me again, Dimitri?" I asked, my voice sounding achy to my own ears.

"Yes, I will," he said, in a gravelly voice. "I'll always come for you Roza, nothing could keep me away from you."  
I gipped his right hand in my own, unable to part from him so soon after he just came.

Dimitri squeezed my hand and came towards me again, pressing a hard, but quick kiss onto my lips.

He pulled away, but kept his eyes locked onto my own.

"I love you. I don't what's going to happen between us, but I want you to know that I love you and there is no one earth who will keep me away from you," he whispered, his eyes lined with unshed tears.

A gasp left my mouth at Dimitri's admission and I was sure at that moment, I had forgotten how to breathe.

 _He loves me. Dimitri loves me._

"Dimitri… I-"

"Shhh, don't say anything Roza, not yet or I'll never be able to leave you here," he replied, cutting me off. I squeezed my eyes tight, feeling tears leaking out of the corner of my eyes and collecting on the pillow beneath my head.

I opened my eyes and nodded at Dimitri, showing him that I understood what he meant.

He gave me one last, heart-breaking smile, before walking back towards my door.

I don't know who let go of who's hand first. All I knew was that I wished to never be forced to part from him again.


	16. Chapter 16

**So this chapter is probably the shortest I've written and that's because theres no Dimitri in it :( I wanted to end the chapter on Rose and her parents, rather than adding Dimitri's part into it, but I promise the next chapter will have a lottttt of Dimitri in it.**

 **I'm going to try and update sometime this week, but I have a lot of homework so I can't promise anything. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and please let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

The following Monday, I went back to school, trying to pretend like everything was okay, but it was everything but that.

Dimitri had admitted he loved me. He loved me, yet I wasn't allowed to go anywhere near him.

And as much as I loved his late night visits, I felt an inkling of guilt for creeping behind my parents back.

Not only that, but I didn't want to pretend like he meant nothing to me. I didn't want to keep what I felt for him a secret. I wanted to shout to the whole world that I was his and he was mine.

Even before Nathan, I never thought I would be so sappy when it came to the opposite sex. The topic of romance and love always made me gag.

And then I met Dimitri.

Without even realizing it, I had turn into a love-struck female, constantly thinking of him, and only him.

I missed him once I woke up and I missed him even more once I fell asleep. I wished that we could always be together.

But before any of that could happen, I needed my parents to drop their anger and understand where I was coming from.

"Hey Rose," Lissa said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Hey," I replied softly.

She closed her locker and looked at me closely, furrowing her eyebrows in my direction.

"Are you okay?" she asked me.

I nodded in her direction, getting out the books I needed for the day.

"Are you sure?" she asked me cautiously.

I looked over at her to see her tugging at her blond hair in anxiousness.

"I'm okay, I promise."

"You would tell me if something was wrong, right? I mean I know everything is a bit different after what happened and I might not completely understand what you're going through, but I want you to know you still have me and you can tell me whatever it is that's bothering you."

I felt so touched and guilty for not only keeping her in the dark, but also disregarding how my kidnapping may have affected her side of the friendship. I grabbed her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"You're my best friend Lissa, nothing has or will change that. Maybe we can hang out this weekend and I'll catch you up on what's been happening in my life?" I asked her.

She immediately nodded.

"Definitely! Just us girls, like it used to be."

"Okay sounds good," I said, smiling in her direction.

"Are you staying today for dance?" she asked.

"Fuck," I whispered. "I completely forgot to ask my parents. I'll ask them today, promise!"

"Okay good, because I found out who the new coach is going to be!" She said excitedly, gripping my forearm and bouncing up and down.

"Damn judging from your reaction, I'm guessing someone good."

She nodded and then told me.

"Yes, it's Christian's aunt. Her name is Tasha and she is young and super nice!"

"I thought he had no relatives around here," I said questioningly.

"She just moved here. I had dinner with his family this weekend and that's where I met her. She is so sweet, you would love her."

"Ooo is she a cool aunt, one we could get condoms and alcohol from," I said jokingly, making a reference to the mom from Mean Girls.

"Ha ha Rose, you crack me up," Lissa said sarcastically.

Before I could retort with another smartass comment, the bell rang, signaling the end of our conversation.

"So you'll talk to your parents," she asked quickly.

"Yes," and we both made our way to our classes.

The rest of the school day went by uneventfully and I was anxious to get home and talk to my parents.

After school, I came home to see both of them were already home.

After saying hello to them, I went upstairs to get started on my homework and come up with how to ask my parents if I could start dance again. If the conversation went well, I was going to try and talk about Dimitri with them, as well.

Surprisingly, my dad wasn't even who I was worried about. It was my mom who seemed to be angry about the whole situation. If only I could get them to understand that he did nothing without my permission and then maybe they might be less upset.

Right when I was putting all of my work away, I heard my dad call up the stairs, telling me dinner was ready.

"Coming," I yelled back and then made my way downstairs.

I made my way to the kitchen to see my parents already sitting, waiting for me.

My palms felt sweaty as I sat down, and gauged their moods to see if right now was a good moment to spring this on them or not.

"How was school Kizm?" my dad asked, before shoveling a spoonful of food into his mouth.

"It was good, same old, same old," I said shrugging.

"And how's Lissa doing? We haven't seen her in a while," my mom said, looking over at me.

"She's good, too. Actually, I was thinking of hanging out with her this weekend, either over here or at her place, whatever you guys think is best." I told them.

"Either is fine with us, but maybe it's too soon for a sleepover. We don't know the situation around here right now to have her spending the night, nor do we want to take the risk of you spending the night away from us," my mom said. I think she was waiting for me to argue with her, but I had too much I needed to talk about today so I was going to let this one go.

"Yeah, I get it, that's fine." I told her and she seemed pleasantly surprised to see how easily I agreed with her.

"Alright good," she said and we finished the rest of the dinner up in comfortable silence.

"So, there was something I wanted to ask you guys," I said, after putting my dirty dishes in the sink. My parents had gotten up, too but halted their movements once I spoke.

They shared nervous glances with each other before looking over at me.

"What is it Rose?" my dad asked, putting his plates into the sink as well.

"Well I was wondering if I could maybe start dance again. I know I'll have to stay a little longer at school, but I'll be sure to leave as soon as everyone else does, and I'll make sure never to be there by myself," I said quickly, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

My parents shared a long look with one another, discussing wordlessly about if I should be allowed to join dance once again or not.

So as not to fidget on my feet, I took a seat at the table again and anxiously waited for them to pay attention to me once again.

Finally, my mom turned to look at me.

"Okay," she said calmly.

"Okay?" I questioned surprised at how easy that went.

She nodded her head and repeated, "Okay. As long as you promise to leave there as soon as everyone else does and text us once you've sat in your car and are on your way home, then we're more than happy about you joining dance."

"Really?"

"Of course sweetheart. A few months ago, we never thought you'd be so willing to join dance again, and here you are, not even a month into school, wanting to join for yourself without us pushing you to do it. Nothing would make us happier to see you start up again," my mom said, giving me the first genuine smile she had in days.

I was so confused. Didn't she get it, I thought. I was only willingly able to join because Dimitri had made me so comfortable with myself. He was the positive change my parents had seen in me.

Why couldn't they see that?

I didn't want to argue with them though, so I returned her smile and said, "Thanks mom."

She nodded and went about cleaning up the dishes.

Well the first part went well. Now it was time for the hard part.

Everything was going so well so far in the conversation that I was almost too afraid to ruin it.

Almost.

I cleared my throat, bringing my parents attention back to me.

"Do you think we should run the idea by Dimitri, too?" I squeaked out.

Immediately, the expression on my mother's face changed.

"Absolutely not," she scowled.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" my mom asked incredulously. "Are you forgetting what he did to you?"

"He didn't do anything to me except protect me!"

"Protect?" my mom scoffed. "Sure."

My dad interjected, trying to cool down the sudden hostile atmosphere in the kitchen.

"Kizm, what your mother means to say is that maybe it isn't a good idea for us to involve Dimitri anymore."

"But he's still investigating this case whether you ask him to or not." I knew without even asking him that Dimitri wouldn't stop until he found the person who Nathan had following me, and deep down, I knew my parent's knew it, too.

"He can do whatever the hell he wants, as long as he stays away from you," my mom glared at me.

"I won't even get involved." I turned to my dad and spoke to him. "Can you please speak with him Baba. I really think it's important that he at least knows and agrees to it."

My dad took a deep breath and contemplated what I said.

"I won't get involved," I repeated. "You can go to his job and speak with him alone if you want, but I really think it's important that he at least knows."

"She has a point Janine," my dad finally said to my mom.

"Are you kidding me Ibrahim?" My mother exclaimed.

"Hayatim," my dad said softly, using a term of endearment he usually reserved for just my mom and I, meaning my life. "Think about this logically. We still need to make sure Rose is safe."

"Why does it have to be him, though?"

"For the same reason we chose Belikov in the first place, after Rose, he knows about Nathan the most."

My mom huffed in annoyance and curtly nodded her head once. She wanted to argue, but she knew my dad was right.

"First Nathan, then Dimitri," she muttered under her breath, but I heard her loud and clear.

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously.

How dare she?

"Oh you heard me Rose," she said angrily.

How fucking dare she?

From there, she once again began speaking negatively about Dimitri. And worse than that, comparing Dimitri to Nathan, of all people.

I stared at my hands on the kitchen counter, as my mom continued her rant.

"Specifically knowing everything that you had gone through, and he still put you in an inappropriate situation, touching you in God knows what way," she said, anger evident in her voice.

"Touch?" I whispered without even realizing it. My parents both turned their attention back to me.

"What?" my mom asked me.

I looked up at her, before speaking.

"Do you know how important a person's touch can be?"

My parents shared a confused glance with one another before looking back at me.

"For 8 months, I despised the thought of being touched. 5 months I lived with a person who touched me in a way that made me want to rip my own skin off." I swiped at my eyes, forcing myself to get through this without crying. My dad had his head lowered, and I could imagine his one and only daughter reliving this must be hard on him, but they had to understand.

"Something as small as a hand touching my own felt like someone was burning me. He had ruined me so beyond belief, that I couldn't even stand the thought of you two touching me!"

I sniffled and took a deep breath before continuing.

"So do you really think after everything I had gone through, I would let just anyone touch me?" I shook my head, just the thought of what I said seeming ridiculous to my own ears.

"I belonged to Dimitri long before he touched me. His support, his never ending patience, and his love touched me before his hands ever did."

I pushed myself out of my seat, unable to speak further on this topic. I understood why my parents were upset, they felt lied to and betrayed. What I didn't want was for them to put an ugly blame on Dimitri, somehow comparing him to Nathan. That, I would never stand for.

I walked past my parents ready to call it a night and go to bed, but my mother's voice stopped me.

"Don't ruin all the progress you've made just because of him. You should feel blessed for recovering as quickly as you did, others who've been in your situation aren't as lucky as you," my mom said, her tone accusatory.

My dad glared at my mom, unable to believe she just said what she did.

I nodded my head at my mom.

"You're right." I told her and a sigh of relief left her mouth. "I also know that Dimitri was with me during my bad times. If he isn't with me during my good times, then I don't want any of it."

And with that, I turned around and left.


	17. Chapter 17

**So I couldn't sleep and ended up writing the next chapter a lot faster than I thought I would lol. I'm going to spend some more time on the next chapter, because it will be longer and more eventful.**

 **I hope you like this double update. Please let me know what you think and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

I trudged my body downstairs, emotionally and physically drained.

I had heard my parents arguing all night, and had a restless night sleep, my dreams filled with images of Dimitri.

Once it reached midnight and I still heard them up, I texted Dimitri warning him not to come over tonight, in fear of getting caught. He was reluctant to agree, but it would've been stupid to be caught in this way so he told me he would try to find some way to see me the following day.

I hated sneaking around.

It was coming to the point where I was willing to go completely against my parents wishes just to be with him, but the thought of it alone hurt me.  
I loved my parents, so much, yet I felt so strongly for Dimitri and was unwilling to let him go.

I walked into the kitchen to see my dad there, but my mom thankfully was nowhere in sight.

"Good morning jaanum," my dad said, calling me his life in his native tongue. He was trying so hard to keep everything civil, that I couldn't bare the thought of being mean to him.

"Morning Baba," I said quietly.

"Do you have a few minutes? I wanted to talk to you." He asked me, already sitting down at the kitchen counter. Feeling like I had no choice but to listen, I nodded and sat down next to him. I turned towards him and waited for him to talk.

"I'm going to go speak with Dimitri today," he said finally.

My head shot up so fast, I'm surprised my neck didn't snap.

"Are you serious?" I asked completely surprised. I knew my dad had said it was a good idea to run the idea of me joining dance by Dimitri, but judging by how the conversation ended yesterday, I was shocked that he was still going through with it.

"I'm serious," he said, looking down for a moment.

"Please don't be mean to him when you get there," I told him quietly, and he looked over at me with his eyebrows scrunched together. "Please. I'm serious when I say he didn't do anything wrong. Don't be mean to him when you speak with him."

The thought of my dad going to Dimitri's job and speaking badly to him caused me to not only panic, but also caused my heart to hurt. I couldn't stand the idea of the only two men I've ever cared about being rude to each other.

"I won't be mean, you have my word," my dad promised softly. I gave him a small smile, and put my head on his shoulder. Immediately, my dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me even closer.

"Did I ever tell you the story of how your mom and I got married," he asked quietly after a long moment.

I peeked up at him, and nodded my head.

"Yeah, how you proposed to her within the first 3 months you met," I said.

"It's more than that. You obviously know my family is Muslim and your mother's is Roman Catholic. Well, none of your grandparents, from both sides approved of the relationship. My mother wanted me to marry into my religion and her father wanted her to marry into her own," he said, staring off into space and reminiscing about his past.

I pulled away some more from my father so I could look at him clearly.

"I thought they were all happy with you two together," I asked, confused about the family history.

"Now they are, but they were anything but happy in the beginning. It was so hard Rose, convincing both sides of the family that we were serious about each other. Everyone told us, if you go against your family, eventually your love for your spouse will fade and you will end up resenting them, but I couldn't believe that for one second because the thought of me ever feeling anything other than love for your mom seemed absurd to me," he said, looking over at me. My dad had a soft look across his face, one that was so uncommon for him.

"But I loved my parents, too. Just like your mom loved her parents, so we were stuck. When I truly felt like there was nothing else I could do to convince your grandparents, I did something I hadn't done in front of them since I was a little boy. I cried."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise.

My dad nodded his head at me and continued. "Like a baby, Kizm. I didn't say one word to them, I didn't beg them, I didn't threaten them. I just sat there, completely defeated and cried. At that moment, I could see something in my father completely change and it was like he was finally able to see and understand what I had been trying to explain to him all along. And I'm going to tell you what he told me."

My father turned around in his seat, completely facing me and took my hands into both of his.

"Love is God's blessing. If you are ever lucky to love then do it to the fullest, without fear, without feeling shy, without thinking. If you win, then there is nothing like it. And even if you lose…the battle is not lost," he translated each word to me from Turkish. Each word he spoke resonated deeply in my head and heart, and I had never in my life felt closer to my father than I did just then.

"I see a lot of myself in you Kizm, and I see a lot of your mother in you, too." My father cupped my face in his hands and ran his thumbs lovingly over my cheeks. I closed my eyes to the feeling, before looking at him again with glossy eyes.

"You love him, am I right?" he asked, without a trace of anger or contempt in his face.

A tear slipped out of my eye, one that my dad immediately caught and wiped away.

"Yes," I croaked out.

"And he loves you?"

I sniffed and nodded my head. "Yes," I whispered to my father.

He nodded his head in understanding.

"We'll make this work Kizm," he said, looking straight into my eyes. My eyebrows shot up and my eyes widened in surprise.

I had to be imagining this.

"Your mom will come around eventually. Her anger is misplaced. She is more upset with herself than anything, because she feels like the situation is not in her control. But she'll come around, I know it."

"What are you trying to say Baba?" I said, still unable to believe I was actually having this conversation with my dad.

"What I'm saying is that I'm willing to give this relationship a chance." I quickly shot up in my seat, gripping my dad's arms tightly and smiling so widely, I could feel my cheeks start to hurt. "But I have some rules."

I immediately nodded, not caring what he said to me next, as long as he was okay with the idea of Dimitri and I together.

"You are still 17 years old, so no funny business better go on in front of me until you are 18. Got it?" He said sternly, but I was already out of my seat and jumping up and down in excitement.

"Yes, yes, yes!" I squealed, jumping into my father's arms and crushing him.

I heard his deep laughter in my ear, before he encircled his arms around me.

"Simmer down hayatim, we still have your mom to worry about," he said, before I pulled back from him.

"I'm sure you have some ways to convince her," I said jokingly, moving my eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Oh is that something your ears are willing to hear?" he retorted.

"No," I said quickly. He laughed again and pulled me in for another quick hug.

"We'll both try and convince her. Now you need to get to school without being late and I need to go and have a talk with your little boyfriend." My dad said, nudging me towards the front door.

 _Boyfriend._

My dad called Dimitri my boyfriend.

"Okay, okay I'm going," I said, picking up my book bag and opening up the front door.

I turned back around one more time, though.

"Seni seviyorum Baba," _I love you,_ I told my father softly.

"Ben de seni seviyorum Kizm," _I love you, too,_ he said to me.

With that, I went on my way, happier than I felt since I had left Dimitri's home.

Arriving at school, I looked visibly more content. Don't get me wrong, I was still nervous about the conversation that would happen between Dimitri and my dad. Dimitri was nothing but respectful and my dad was on board with the relationship, but it was nerve wracking to think my dad was going to have a relationship talk with Dimitri.

Not to mention, I still had my mother and this stalker to worry about. But as long as my dad and Dimitri had a good conversation, then there was one less thing I needed to worry about.

"Hey Lissa," I said cheerfully approaching her.

"Hey Rose, you seem to be in a better mood," she noticed immediately and smiled in my direction.

"Yeah, my parents said I could join dance again," I told her half the truth. I was not about to tell her about Dimitri in the middle of the hallway; that news could wait until this weekend when we were alone.

"Yes!" she squealed loudly, getting the attention of multiple students walking by.

"Calm down," I giggled, but I loved how happy she was I was joining again. It just made me more content with my decision about wanting to join.

"I'm so happy, things are finally going back to how they used to be," she said, sighing softly.

"You're right," I agreed with her. "I'm going to stop by the coach's office before I go home. You're sure she's nice," I asked her cautiously. I was so used to Ms. Karp that I wasn't sure how I felt about having a new coach for my final year of high school.

"Very nice Rose," she told me reassuringly.

"Okay that makes me feel better," I said before the bell signaled the start of class.

Much later in the day, after the last bell rang, I made my way down the much emptier hallway before finding myself in front of what used to be Coach Karp's office.

I took a deep breath before knocking twice.

A moment later, I heard a light female voice telling me to come in.

I opened the door and a small gasp escaped me at the sight of the woman in front of me.

In front of me was a tall, model thin woman in her 30's who looked like she should belong on the front cover of a high fashion magazine rather than in an old-ass high school office. She had dark black hair and sharp features, leaving me momentarily speechless at how beautiful she was.

"Hi," I finally said, pulling myself out of my trance. "I'm Rose Hathaway."

The woman stood up, a breathtaking smile coming across her features, and reached out to take my hand in hers, giving it a firm shake.

"Natasha Ozera, but you can call me Tasha," she said sweetly.

"It's nice to meet you," I told her genuinely.

"Likewise, I have heard so much about you," she told me.

I tilted my head in slight confusion and she explained further.

"Vasilissa and Sonya Karp both sang your praises to me. I'm pleased to see you here today Rose. What can I help you with?" She asked. I listened closely to her, detecting a slight accent. She did seem to have defined European features so I was assuming she had spent at least some of her life outside of America.

"Yes, actually I was wondering if it was too late to sign up for dance," I said, mentally crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

"Let's see," she said walking back to her desk and picking up what looked like a sign-up sheet. "There are two openings so it looks like you're in luck," she said, smiling back at me.

"Oh thank god," I breathed a sigh of relief. "Does that mean I can start tomorrow?"

She nodded her head and said, "Absolutely. Have you been keeping up with your dancing at all?"

"Not really," I told her truthfully, wincing slightly. "That's one thing I'm worried about, but I don't think it's going to take too long for me to get the hang of it again."

I would have been really worried if I hadn't done any type of physical activity these past few months, but thanks to Dimitri, I was able to keep up with working out regularly even though it wasn't dancing. And I knew my body, so I could easily say that it wouldn't be hard for me to get back into my original routine.

"Okay, we'll definitely see your progress tomorrow at practice. We also need to discuss what you'd like to do for your senior showcase," she said.

My whole team performed together at the end of the year, but all of the senior girls had to come up with their own routine to present in front of an audience. I hadn't even thought that far ahead, so I had no clue what I wanted to do for my last dance.

"I'm not sure yet. When do I need to tell you by?" I asked her.

"Ideally, I would say before the end of March so you still have some time to come up with something."

"Okay, I can definitely do that," I told her honestly. I was sure I would have what I wanted to perform planned out before the deadline.

"Great, did you have any other questions?"

"No I think I'm good for now," I told her, pulling my book bag strap higher onto my shoulder.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Tasha asked me expectedly.

"Absolutely," I said.

"Great, I'll see you then Rose," she said, giving me another bright smile.

I smiled back, and after saying goodbye, I left to make my way back home to hopefully receive some more good news from my father regarding his conversation with Dimitri.

 ** _Dimitri POV_**

I sighed in annoyance, the work in front of me seeming to blur together until it made absolutely no sense to me.

I was a DEA agent, yet I felt like I was going through withdrawal. I missed Rose so much, that not even my work was able to take my mind off of her.

In my 25 years on this earth, no female had ever affected me the way she had.

To be completely honest, these feelings terrified me. I had been on my own for so long that being so emotionally dependent on another human being scared the shit out of me. But I felt like this separation from her was what was causing me to lose focus throughout the day.

I was fine when she was living with me.

It was only when she had been taken from me that I felt like I had become the most miserable man on the planet.

It also didn't help that I was in no way closer to finding Rose's stalker than I previously was.

All I knew was that she was a female who seemed to be closer to Nathan than anyone else was, and the only female I knew of to fit that description was Rose herself.

I still kept up with every person who visited and spoke with Nathan. I would find this stalker if it was the last thing I did.

"You good, Dimka?" asked Ivan, pulling me out of my thoughts.

The whole squad seemed to be walking on eggshells around me. I was always friendly, but my bad mood settled over the headquarters like a black cloud.

"Yeah I'm good," I said back, not wanting to get into how I was feeling, especially at work.

"You know what we need?" Adrian said, butting in from his desk. He didn't wait for either of us to reply before he spoke again. "What we need is a boys night. We need to get so fucked up that we end up sleeping at the bar. Remember when we used to do that?" Adrian asked enthusiastically.

"You used to do that Adrian, not us," Ivan said, shaking his head at the brunette.

"Well you should try it. It's not as bad as it seems," Adrian said back.

"It's going to be a hard no from me. Teenager me could easily outdrink adult me. I just don't have it in me to get that wasted Adrian," I told him.

"Then we won't get completely trashed. Let's all still go out though. It's been forever since the three of us did something outside of work," Adrian said. He was right. I couldn't remember the last time I went out for a casual night with the boys.

"I'm up for it," I said. Hopefully the outing would help me take my mind off of Rose.

We both turned towards Ivan waiting for him to agree.

"Actually I can't," he told us.

"And why the hell not?" Adrian asked, crossing his arms across his chest. I was interested in knowing why he couldn't hang out, as well.

"I have a date," he said, looking at the both of us.

That immediately peaked my interest.

Ivan was a lot like how Adrian used to be before he met Sydney. He would go out to bars and clubs, find a girl to take home for the night, and forget completely about her by the next day. So Ivan saying he had a date was a big deal.

"With who?" I asked him, completely intrigued.

He gave me a small grin before he told us.

"Actually its with-"

"Uh Dimitri, I think there's someone here to see you," Adrian cut Ivan off, and stealthily nodded his head towards the front door.

Ivan and I both looked at the direction Adrian was looking to see none other than Abe Mazur walking calmly, yet purposefully towards my desk.

I immediately sat up straighter in my seat, completely alert, yet confused as to why Mazur was visiting me.

He stopped right in front of my desk and after nodding hello to both Adrian and Ivan, turned his focus completely on me.

"Belikov," he said. Well he didn't seem murderous so maybe that was a good sign.

Still, I cautiously replied back. "Mazur. Is everything okay? Did something happen with Rose?" I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my tone and failing miserably.

"She's perfectly fine," he said shaking his head and giving me a small grin. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked at him expectantly to see what he wanted. "Is there somewhere private we can talk?" he asked.

I nodded and got up. "Yes, follow me." I looked behind Abe's shoulder to see Ivan looking at me uneasily, while Adrian gave me a thumbs up. I looked ahead again and led Abe to one of our private rooms where we usually spoke with victims and witnesses.

We both sat down at the small wooden table, and I waited for him to begin speaking.

"You're probably wondering why I'm here." I nodded and allowed him to continue. "Rose came to us about wanting to start dance again. As you know, the day she was taken, she had been at the school after dance practice, by herself. So after her mother and I agreed to let her start up again, she insisted I run the idea by you, as well," Abe told me.

I was stunned for two reasons. One, I couldn't believe after everything that happened, Abe was sitting in front of me, so calmly asking me for my advice. And two, I was touched to my core to hear that Rose was so persistent about what I thought about her starting up dance again.

"I think you have nothing to worry about," I finally told him. "As long as Rose makes sure to leave as soon as the other girls from her team do, then there shouldn't be a problem."

He chuckled quietly and shook his head in what seemed to be slight disbelief.

"That's exactly what Rose said to convince us," he said, looking back at me.

My eyebrow shot up once again. Why was he talking so casually about Rose to me?

"Well you can tell her that she doesn't need to worry. And while you're here, there's something else you can ask her, too. I listened to all of the phone conversations Nathan has had and the person who seems to have been following Rose is a female," I said, feeling like I can trust him with this, considering he came to me for reassurance, as well.

"That's odd," Abe said, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. "The first time she spoke about everything to the police, she never mentioned another female involved. Were there any female drug dealers that he could have been close with?"

"I looked into that. There is one notorious female drug dealer that he's known for years named Galina, but she's out of the country so it doesn't match up," I told him.

"And Rose never mentioned any girls when she talked to you about Nathan?" Abe asked.

I shook my head no. "That's why I was wondering if you could ask her if there is any female that she could recall being close to Nathan or one he may have mentioned in front of her," I said to him.

Abe looked over to me and then leaned back in his seat.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

My head shot up so fast, I was surprised my spine didn't crack.

"What?" I asked, utterly confused as to what Abe was trying to say.

He took a deep breath and then leaned forward.

"I said why don't you ask her yourself." My eyebrows scrunched together. This had to be some trick, because the last time I saw Rose's parents, I was sure they wanted to murder me.

"Look Belikov, I am not happy with what I found out about you and Rose. I was pissed and I wanted to do nothing more than to kill you," he spoke, his voice icy and cold. "But I can see how much being apart from you is hurting my daughter and my love for Rose greatly outweighs my anger towards you."

I had to be dreaming, because this in no way could be real.

"What are you saying?" I asked him.

Abe let out an exasperated sigh. "God, you two are lucky you're both so pretty," he mumbled under his breath before speaking clearly once again. "What I'm saying is you have my permission to date my daughter-"

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head and I was sure I probably looked like a straight dumbass in front of Mazur, but this was the last thing I expected to happen.

"Now wait, before you get too excited," he said quickly noticing my expression. "I have some rules that I expect to be respected and followed. Rose is still a minor so I don't want to see anything inappropriate happening between the two of you until she's 18. Understood?" he said giving me a pointed look.

"Absolutely," I nodded immediately.

"I also want there still to be a level of professionalism, at least until we find out who it is that's been following Rose," he said seriously.

"I completely agree. I haven't stopped working to find out who it is that Nathan has had stalking her," I told him honestly.

"I believe you Belikov," Abe said. "Look why don't you come over for dinner this weekend. My wife still isn't sold on the idea, but Rose and I are working to convince her. I would like to get to know the man that is dating my daughter a little better. This way, I can see if you're good enough to be my daughter's boyfriend."

I smiled widely at Abe, my cheeks straining more than they ever had before.

 _His daughter's boyfriend._

He called me her boyfriend. It seemed so immature and childish, being a grown ass man, yet getting so giddy for being referred to as someone's boyfriend. But I'll be damned if I didn't wear the title of Rose's boyfriend loudly and proudly.

"Definitely, I'll be there," I said, already counting down the hours until it was the weekend and I could openly and freely see Rose again.

"Alright, well I have nothing more to say." Abe said, getting up and fixing the colorful scarf around his neck. "You'll keep me informed on anything new you find out?" he asked me.

"Absolutely," I told him.

"Great." I stood up, as well, getting ready to escort him out to the front door, but he had stopped moving. He tugged at his goatee, and looked over at me again. "I asked Rose this already, but I need to hear it from you."

I looked at him, waiting to hear what he wanted me to say.

"Do you love Rose?"

"Yes," I said automatically, not even having to take a second to think about my answer.

He gave a small sigh a relief and then patted my arm. "You're not a bad guy Dimitri. Just don't ever hurt my daughter."

He didn't say it as a threat; it was more like a request. He looked completely vulnerable, much like the day he came to this office for the first time, asking me to guard Rose.

"I would much faster hurt myself then ever think of hurting Rose," I admitted quietly.

He nodded and nothing more was between us. He walked out of the room and I followed him.

After bidding him goodbye, I sat down at my desk feeling a renewal of energy and content that I hadn't felt in my body since the day Rose left my house.


	18. Chapter 18

**Guys, I was today years old when I found out that Baia is a made up town in Siberia. Am I the only dumb bitch that thought it was real? lol**

 **Anyways, I wasn't planning on updating until at least this weekend, but I started writing this chapter out at 9 pm and couldn't go to sleep with it unfinished so here it is lol**

 **I had this chapter be in 3rd POV, because there were different characters whose thoughts I wanted to share. I really hope you guys like the chapter. Please let me know what you think and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

"Hi," Rose whispered into her phone, Tuesday night, after both of her parents had fallen asleep.

"Hey Roza," Dimitri replied back affectionately.

Rose cut straight to the point, skipping over small talk and getting to the important stuff.

"I heard my dad came to see you," she said, wanting to hear how the conversation had gone.

Dimitri let out a deep breath before replying.

"Yeah, he stopped by," Dimitri told her.

"So, how did it go?" Rose asked.

"Good," Dimitri said. "Great actually, it was the last thing I could have expected. I still can't believe he approves."

Rose tugged her blanket up and agreed with Dimitri.

"I know I'm still in shock. I was so worried about him, but he seems genuinely accepting of it all. My mom's the one I'm worried about. I don't get why she's still so upset."

Dimitri was silent for a while, before finally replying.

"You can't blame her Rose. Her anger is justifiable."

"I get that, but if my dad can look past everything, why can't she?" Rose asked.

"There's probably a lot of reasons. Our age difference is just one of them. We also went behind their back, never informing them that we were even involved," Dimitri said, before Rose cut him off.

"Whose side are you on?"

"This isn't about sides Roza," Dimitri explained. "I'm just saying she has her reasons to be upset."

"Are these things that bother you?" Rose asked quietly.

"What, the age thing?" he asked and Rose hummed in response. "Before anything physical had even happened between us, I would get upset with myself anytime I thought of you inappropriately. I always told myself it was wrong what I was feeling, considering your age and what you had been through. Then we got closer, and all of that went out the window, especially once I saw that you shared the same feelings I did," Dimitri told her. "So no, it doesn't bother me."

Rose breathed a sigh of relief. Despite everything they had gone through, they had never had this conversation till now. She always saw how dedicated Dimitri was to his job and following the rules, so she was curious to know how he was so comfortable with the idea of the two of them together. And she was pleased with the answer.

"So will you be here Friday night then? For dinner?" Rose asked, mentally crossing her fingers.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he told her genuinely.

"Okay great," she smiled.

After a moment she spoke again.

"There was another reason I called, too." Rose said, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. She didn't know how Dimitri would take it.

"What is it?"

"I don't think you should come over tonight," she finally whispered. Before he could take what she said the wrong way, she rushed through with her thoughts. "I want to see if I can sleep on my own. I love knowing you're there for me when I need you, but I don't want to become dependent. I want to be strong, too. For myself."

Dimitri didn't say anything for a few moments and Rose was worried that she had upset him.

"I think that's great Roza," he finally said.

"Really?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes," he breathed out. "I want nothing more than for you to be safe and strong, and if this is what you need to achieve that, then I'm more than happy with it," he told her.  
She instantly smiled, touched by Dimitri's words.

"Thanks Dimitri," she said quietly.

"You're welcome Roza," he replied. "But if you do need me, just call me okay. I'll be there before you know it."

"I know," she told him.

"Sleep now Roza, you have a long day ahead of you," he told her and she yawned right after.

"Okay, I'll miss you," she said quietly, already feeling her eyelids start to droop.

"I'll miss you, too," he said softly. "Goodnight Roza."

"Goodnight Comrade."

The next day was different for Rose, because it was her first day back at dance.

She felt nervous all day leading up to it, for a number of reasons.

One, she had been away from the team for so long, she didn't know how she would be welcomed back. Two, she still wasn't 100% comfortable having so much of her skin exposed for so many people to see. Lucky for her, Dimitri's constant reassurance had at least made her okay with the idea of dancing in a t-shirt and shorts. And three, she was worried that the new coach wouldn't give her chance and she'd be booted from the team.

Coach Karp had been watching Rose dance since she first started high school so she knew the potential Rose had.

Tasha had no idea though, and Rose was worried that if practice went horribly today, then the new coach would write her off as being talentless.

She made it to the locker rooms earlier than any of the other girls and changed quickly, before making her way into the gym to warm up.

Due to constantly running with Dimitri, Rose had built up endurance and longer-lasing stamina.

After a few minutes, more and more girls started piling in, each one surprised to see Rose there, dressed up in practice gear.

A lot of them had the decency to be polite, while others were straight out obnoxious.

"You sure you still know how to dance, Rose?" asked Camilla, a snooty, rich girl that always felt competitive when it came to Rose.

"I guess we'll have to see," Rose said, opting to walk towards Lissa, instead of entertaining Camilla any further.

"You nervous?" Lissa asked.

"Like hell," Rose said, rubbing her palms on the front of her shorts.

"You got this girl, don't worry," Lissa reassured her and Rose smiled in response.

A few minutes later, Tasha walked in, wearing a skin-tight, black matching tracksuit that showed off her thin figure.

How was this allowed as part of the dress code, Rose thought.

"So on Monday we had a discussion for what type of dance you girls would like to perform for the spring. There were a number of ideas that you all came up with, but it seems that majority of you want to do dances for a mixture of Latin and hip-hop songs."

Tasha looked around as almost all of the girls enthusiastically nodded their heads.

"Great, then I have some routines planned out for you. Before I play the song, I will tell you exactly what it is that I expect. After going over the beginning moves and seeing how well you girls perform, we'll move further into the song. Understood?" Tasha asked the girls.

"Yes Coach," they all responded in unison.

"Great, then lets begin."

For the next two hours, Rose, along with the rest of the girls showed Tasha what they were capable of.

The first few steps confused Rose enough to cause her to fumble on her feet, but a few loud giggles from Camilla and a questionable glance from Tasha set Rose straight.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself she was Rose fucking Hathaway-Mazur.

She was a badass bitch before, and she was a badass bitch, now.

With that thought, she showed Tasha and the rest of the girls why she used to be Coach Karp's favorite dancer.

Rose came home after dance practice to see that only her mom was home. The two females had been either arguing non-stop or giving each other the silent treatment, and Rose couldn't decide which was worst.

She said a hello as she stepped into the house, not expecting a response back, but Rose was wrong.

"Can you come in here for a second Rose, I need to speak with you," she heard her mom say from the kitchen.

Rose silently groaned and rolled her eyes, not up for another fight with her mom, especially after such long day.

She walked into the kitchen to see her mom at the counter, chopping some vegetables and dumping them into the pot.

"How was your first day back at dance," she asked her.

Rose raised her eyebrows in surprise, but quickly recovered and answered her mom. "Surprisingly well. I was a little rusty in the beginning, but it didn't take too long to get into the swing of it."

"That's good," Janine nodded. "Coach Karp and Lissa must've been happy to have you back."

"Not Coach Karp, she's on maternity leave," Rose said and her mom turned around from her cooking to look at her.

"So who's coaching you," she asked.

"Her name is Natasha Ozera. I just met her the other day, but she's really nice so far."

"Huh, I didn't know Lucas had a sister," her mom said, voicing exactly what Rose thought when Lissa had told her that Tasha was Christian's aunt.

"Neither did I, but apparently she just moved here," Rose said shrugging.

Her mom nodded her head and resumed her cooking. Rose waited there silently, wanting to see if there was more she had to say, because she felt like she had been called into the kitchen for another reason entirely.

"Your father mentioned the dinner he plans to have Friday night," Janine finally said.

 _And there it is,_ Rose thought.

"Okay," Rose said slowly, not knowing what kind of response to give her mom.

Janine put down the knife on the kitchen counter, wiped her hands on a dishtowel and turned around, giving Rose her full attention.

"Well you can forget all about it, because it is not happening," she said determinedly.

A shot of annoyance flared through Rose and she looked at her mother in anger.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I don't understand why I should entertain the idea of a dinner when there is no way in hell you two are ever going to be together," Janine said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You sound sure of yourself. You do realize I'll be 18 in less than two months, how are you possibly going to stop me then?" Rose said, mimicking her mother's stance.

"Dear God Rose, why is this so important to you," Janine asked, throwing her hands up in the air. "You can't possibly believe you're in love with him. You're too young to know what love is!"

Rose stared at her mother dumbfounded, unable to believe what she was saying. The shit Rose had been through in the past 12 months alone, proved that she was far beyond her age. And even if she wasn't, how could her mother know Rose's own personal feelings more than Rose did.

"How can you even say that? You don't know what I feel for him. You haven't even given me a chance to explain it to you," Rose said.

"Well whatever it is, it's not love. He took advantage of you when you were at your weakest point and you fed into it. You might be feeling lust for him, but not love."

Rose slammed her hand on the kitchen counter. "Don't tell me what I'm feeling!" she said in loud tone, one she had never used with her mother before.

"Don't raise your voice at me young lady," Janine said, equally as loud.

Rose let out an exasperated breath and pleaded with her mom to understand.

"Why are you being so difficult? Even dad is willing to give him a chance. One chance, is all I'm asking," Rose begged.

"Why is this such big deal for you?" Janine asked her again.

"Because he means a lot to me mom, I care about him more than you think," Rose said, feeling her throat get thick with emotion caused by frustration.

"So you really think you're in love with him?" she asked upset, knowing full well what the answer was, but needing to hear it for herself anyway.

"Yes, I'm in love with him and if you try and dissuade the fact that I'm not by saying I don't know what love is, because of my age…then I say with all do respect, screw you." Janine eyes flashed with anger towards Rose, but the latter wasn't done speaking. "My love will not be measured by the number of years I've been alive. Give me some credit mom," she said, her voice aching with tears she was holding back.

Janine looked at her daughter, taking in her red-rimmed eyes and her deep frown. The young girl kept rubbing her eyes and Janine was taken back to a time where Rose was much younger, sporting the same tearful expression as she was now.

And just as it had been happening since the day Rose was born, that broken expression tugged at Janine's heartstrings.

"Fine," she muttered, realizing a moment later that the word had left her mouth.

Rose looked at her wide-eyed and unbelieving.

"What?" she asked, needing her mom to repeat herself.

"I said fine, he can come to dinner."

"Are you going to sit there and be mean to him the whole time, because if you are, then it's not even worth it," Rose said.

Janine let out a deep frustrated sigh and shook her head. "No, I won't be mean. You can invite him over, and if all goes well…" she trailed off, before taking another deep breath and finishing her sentence. "If all goes well, then I will allow you two to be together."

Rose looked at her mom in stunned silence, not believing what she was saying. When she realized Janine was dead serious, she moved forward quickly and wrapped her mother into a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you mom, you won't regret this. I promise," Rose whispered into her ear.

Janine pulled Rose tighter to her chest, relieved to finally be this close to her daughter after being so disconnected for weeks.

"For your sake Rose, I sure hope so," she replied back.

Rose pulled back a moment later, and after giving her one last smile, she raced upstairs to her room to inform Dimitri that dinner was definitely on for Friday night.

When Friday finally rolled around, Rose was a bundle of nerves and excitement.

There was so much that could go wrong tonight. As pleasant and respectful as Dimitri might be, Janine might still decide that Rose wasn't allowed to be with him.

But she had promised Rose to give Dimitri a fair chance and she was holding her mom on that promise.

After Rose got home from another long day of school and dance practice, she rushed into the shower and started getting ready.

She wanted to look nice, but still kept in mind that the dinner was at her house.

Rose decided on a pair of black, tight jeans, and a form-fitting cream color sweater that contrasted perfectly with her tan skin. She blow-dried her hair, and left it wavy, just like she knew Dimitri loved.

She came downstairs once it was close to dinnertime to see her parents both working side-by-side in the kitchen, getting everything ready.

"When will Dimitri be here, Rose?" Abe asked her.

"I told him 7 and he's never late so he should be here soon," Rose said, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans.

"Oh so your boyfriend is punctual, complete opposite of you then," Abe said chuckling.

Janine, who had been silent this whole time, gave Abe a pointed look.

"He's not her boyfriend," she said, before turning back to the food.

Rose and Abe shared a nervous glance between each other. Seeing Rose become discouraged by her mother's comment, Abe walked towards her to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Just as he opened his mouth, the doorbell rang.

Rose eyes widened and her nerves kicked in again.

"Control your woman," Rose hissed at her dad.

Abe's eyes widened and he replied back equally as quiet, "That's your mother you're talking about," he glanced behind him nervously towards the kitchen where Janine was stiffly plating the food. "So you know that's impossible."

"I said what I said," she said pointedly, before walking towards the front door, while Abe went into the kitchen to see if Janine needed any extra help setting up.  
Taking a deep breath, she opened the front door to reveal a nicely dressed, yet equally nervous Dimitri.

Dimitri had on a pair of black jeans and long sleeve, light grey sweater. His hair was wet and he had left it untied for the night. Topping the whole outfit off was his signature duster.

She hadn't seen him so long and she couldn't believe he was standing here in front of her.

Rose's features instantly softened at the sight of Dimitri and she tugged at his sleeve, urging him over the threshold and into her home.

"Hi," she smiled up at him.

"Hey," he said, looking around quickly to see if the coast was clear before dropping a kiss onto her forehead.

"I'm so happy you're here," she beamed. Rose looked at Dimitri's hands to see him holding a small box, from a popular bakery in town. "What's this?"

"I didn't want to come empty handed so I bought chocolate cake," he said sheepishly, presenting the box to Rose.

Rose looked horrified. "Oh my god Dimitri my mom is deathly allergic to chocolate and cake," she whispered quietly.

Dimitri completely paled and his eyes darted around the room quickly as if the walls and furniture would tell him what to do. He turned around, opened the front door, and raised his arm, intending to chuck the whole thing out onto the front yard before he felt Rose's hand reach out and grip him, halting his movements completely.

Dimitri turned around to see the girl hunched over, face red, shoulders shaking with laughter.

"I was only kidding," she wheezed out, "Oh God, you had to see your face."

As her laughter began to die down, Dimitri looked at her with a less than enthusiastic expression, holding a hand to his chest from the sudden panic Rose had just caused him.

"Not funny Rose," he muttered.

Another set of giggles escaped her and she nodded her head. "So funny," she retorted back. "Wow I crack myself up."

Dimitri couldn't help but smile widely at Rose, instantly feeling less nervous due to her antics.

They heard footsteps coming towards them and turned to see a pleasant Abe, and a less than happy Janine walking over.

"Belikov, so nice of you to join us," Abe said.

"Thank you for having me," Dimitri said back with complete respect.

"Dimitri brought cake," Rose said, taking the box out of Dimitri's hands and giving it to her mom.

Janine gave Dimitri a tight-lipped smile and said, "Thank you."

Rose breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

So far so good, she thought.

"Dinner is just about ready, so why don't we go and have a seat," Abe said, before turning on his heel with Janine in tow.

Rose turned towards Dimitri and said, "I'll take your duster."

He shrugged it off his body and handed it to Rose, who hung it up. She grabbed Dimitri's hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze, before leading him to the direction her parents went.

She led him into the dining room. The room had an opening on the side, leading to the kitchen, where Janine was coming in with the last of the food.  
Since they were just a family of three, the dining table had four chairs. Despite that, there was still a bit of distance between Rose and Dimitri's seat, which Janine was pleased with.

"Everything looks very good," Dimitri said politely, and meaning it.  
For someone who was not happy with the relationship, Dimitri was touched to see that Janine was still making such an effort with this dinner.

"My wife's cooking is exceptional. When we had first started dating, she made my favorite Turkish dish called manti. It tasted better than my mother's version of it. That's when I knew I had to marry her," Abe said, giving Janine a cheeky smile.

Janine playfully rolled her eyes at her husband, noticing how thick he was laying on the compliments to keep her in a good mood.

"Where are you originally from? That name and accent tells me you weren't born here," Abe commented, before digging into the food.

"I was born and raised in Baia It's a small town outside of Omsk, in Siberia. I lived there until I turned 18," Dimitri told him. Rose had all of her attention focused on Dimitri and his story. She absolutely loved when he talked about his life, especially his family. His expression would instantly soften at the mention of them.

"Your family is still there?" Janine asked, and Rose smiled in her mother's direction, appreciating how she was trying to get to know Dimitri.

"Yes, my mother, grandmother, and three sisters all live there," he said.

"What about your father?" Janine asked. Rose's jaw clenched and she gave her mom a pointed look, but the question didn't faze Dimitri in the slightest.

"He moved out when I was really young," Dimitri told her.

Before Janine had the chance to ask him more on the topic, Abe thankfully butted in.

"It must get lonely being so far away from your family, I assume. I'm always dragging my wife and daughter back to Turkey every summer just because I miss my family there so much," Abe said to Dimitri.

"I miss them a lot, but my work keeps me busy," Dimitri said before taking another bite of his food.

Even Janine had to appreciate that. Dimitri's job was what had gotten Rose found in the first place.

The four of them ate the dinner for a few more minutes in silence, before Janine put down her utensils and turned towards Dimitri.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" Janine blurted out, causing Rose to nearly choke on her food.

"Mom," Rose glared at her mother, but the older woman easily ignored her.

Dimitri put his utensil down and looked calmly at Janine, as if he had been waiting for this type of question. Abe had even focused his attention completely on Dimitri, wanting to hear what he would say.

"I understand your concerns revolving Rose and I's relationship, especially considering my age and the professionalism I was unable to maintain, despite the trust you had placed in me to keep her protected. I apologize sincerely for breaking that trust, but I cannot apologize for the feelings I have for her."

Rose looked at Dimitri, completely forgetting that her parents were in the room with her. She was only focused on Dimitri and what he was saying.

"When she first moved in with me, I didn't intend for it to go further than me being her guardian, but I can't help what I feel. All I beg of you is that you not cut me off from her, at least until I know she is completely, 100% safe. Whether you like it or not, I won't stop trying to find out who it is that's following her. And if by the end of all of us this, Rose wants to live a life that doesn't include me, then I am okay with that, because my peace and happiness lie in the fact that's she's safe and happy," Dimitri said sincerely, looking over at Rose as he spoke the last sentence.

Rose reached over and squeezed his hand, her eyes stinging and throat thick with emotions.

She had never met such a selfless man.

Janine eyes had softened in Dimitri's direction and Abe cleared his throat, bringing the attention back to him.

"We're lucky to have met you Dimitri," he told him truthfully. Dimitri didn't respond, instead rubbing the back of his neck, feeling a bit embarrassed by the sincere compliment he just received.

Abe cleared his throat again, trying to change the atmosphere of the room.

"Why don't we have some dessert and tea, shall we?" Abe said. "I grew up drinking Turkish tea, that I insist you try before leaving here tonight."

"Absolutely," Dimitri nodded politely.

Abe caught Janine's eye and nodded towards the kitchen. The older couple got up, and began clearing up the dishes.  
Dimitri began to get up to help, but Abe gestured for him to sit down.

"You kids sit and talk, we'll get this cleared up."

As her parents walked into the kitchen, Rose turned towards Dimitri again, his words playing in her head over and over again.

"That was so sweet Comrade," she told him quietly.

Dimitri grabbed Rose's hand and brushed a kiss on top of it, before giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I meant every word," he told her in complete seriousness.

Rose glanced at the kitchen to see if her parents were any where in sight. When the coast seemed clear, she turned towards Dimitri once again.

She leaned forward in her seat and he got the hint, immediately meeting her halfway and pressing his lips onto hers.

Rose kissed Dimitri until she heard her parent's voices come closer.

She pulled away quickly, but not before giving Dimitri a secretive smile.

Abe had a tray with four plates, each topped with a slice of chocolate cake Dimitri had bought. There were also four Turkish style teacups, made of clear glass that Abe placed in front of each person.

"I'll pour out the tea," Janine said, picking up the kettle of boiling, hot tea.

As she poured the almost red looking liquid into her cup first, Abe spoke up again.

"I hate to ruin the mood of this dinner by bringing this up, but there is something Dimitri had mentioned that I meant to ask you about Rose," Abe said, sounding more serious than he had all night.

Rose's hand paused midway to her mouth, and she placed her fork down.

"Yes Baba?"

"Dimitri has been trying to find out who it is that's following you, and though he doesn't have a name yet, he is sure about one thing," Abe said.

Rose's eyebrows shot up in surprise and she turned towards Dimitri.

"All I know so far is that it is woman, most likely Russian, that he seems to be very close to," Dimitri said, hoping Rose could give him some helpful information he could work with.

Rose processed what Dimitri said and thought of all of the women she could that she associated with Nathan and only came up with one.

As Janine walked around with the tea, pouring some into each person's cup, Abe continued to speak.

"Dimitri said it's clear that a female is the one that's been following you, so is there anyone that comes to mind for you kizm? One that might be close enough with him to do that if he asked?"

All three pairs of eyes turned to look at Rose. Janine had just reached Rose's cup, but paused to hear what she had to say.

Rose began to fidget uncomfortably in her seat. This was one thing she absolutely did not feel comfortable talking about, even with Dimitri and the reason was because she still felt so much guilt tied to what had happened.

"There was one, but there's no way it could be her," she whispered, looking down at her hands.

"What was her name?" Dimitri inquired hesitantly after noticing how closed off Rose was becoming because of this topic.

Rose didn't say anything for a moment before replying. "I'm not sure what her last name was, but her first name was Inna."

"And you're positive it wasn't her?" Abe asked Rose.

Rose shook her head no.

As Janine raised the pot again to pour the tea into Rose's cup, she asked her daughter, "How can you be so sure?"

"Because he shot her in the head right in front of me," Rose stated, and the shock was felt immediately throughout the room. Especially to the woman standing closest to her who felt so ill and shook from Rose's statement, that the pot of hot, steaming tea spilled out directly on top of Rose's lap.

Dimitri, who had been paying such close attention to Rose as she was speaking, saw the kettle slip from Janine's hand and with un-human like reflexes, leaped from his seat and put both of his hands out, causing the tea to spill directly onto his hands, rather than on top of Rose's legs.

Rose quickly moved her seat back as Dimitri took up the space in front of her.

"Shit," he hissed out in pain as the liquid burned his open palms. After seeing Rose had moved far enough back, he shook his hands out, causing the tea to drip onto the hard wood floor beneath his feet.

Dimitri turned back to glance at Rose, who had a look of deep concern plastered on her face. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

Rose looked at him incredulously and repeated his question back to him. "Are _you_ okay?"

He looked down at his hands, that were bright red, and felt as if there were a thousands needles prickling them at once.

Dimitri looked back at Rose and nodded his head once, telling her he was fine.

"Rose, take Dimitri to the bathroom where the first aid kit is. I'll help your mother clean up in here," Abe said, quickly urging Rose out of her seat. Rose ushered Dimitri out of the dining room and down the hall where the bathroom was located.

During all this time, Janine remained frozen in her spot, looking at the area where the teapot had slipped from her hands.

"You okay hayatim?" Abe asked, his concern now placed towards his unmoving wife.

Janine looked up at her husband as he came to stand next to her. Her eyes were rimmed red and she sniffed, causing Abe to become even more worried.

"Rose knows it was an accident Janine, we were all shocked about what she said," Abe said, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders and turning her towards him.

Janine shook her head, then ran a shaky hand through her wild, red curls.

"It's not just that," she whispered, looking back down at the floor.

"What is it then?" Abe asked just as quietly.

"That tea was steaming hot Ibrahim," she said after a long moment.

Abe's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he slowly said, "Yeah," not understanding where Janine was going with this.  
"And he just put his hands out in front of her, like it was nothing." Janine looked at Abe, continuing to speak. "And then he asked her if she okay, like he didn't just get burned so she wouldn't be hurt."

A grin slowly made its way onto Abe's face when he realized where his wife was going with her statement.

"Yeah," he repeated once again.

"How many people do you know that would let burning, hot liquid fall on them just so you wouldn't get hurt, without even hesitating for a second?" she asked her husband.

"Not many Janine," he replied, a small smile still playing on his lips. "Not many."

The two stood in silence for a while, looking at the wet spot on the hardwood floor.

"I think I misjudged his intentions with Rose," Janine finally said.

Abe's eyebrows shot up in surprise and he gave her small smirk. "Yeah?" he asked her.

She thought about his question and then eventually nodded, repeating what he said to her by replying, "Yeah."

As they once again stood there in comfortable silence, the voices of the two young lovers could be heard from the hallway, right outside the dining room.

"No crying Roza, you know I can't stand to see your tears," Dimitri said affectionately. Janine and Abe shared a worried glance with one another and Janine was about to take a step towards the hallway to see what was wrong, but her husband stopped her.

They heard Rose sniff, before replying back in an achy tone. "You got hurt, because of me."

"I would've been more hurt if you had gotten burned," he told her, complete seriousness in his tone.

"That doesn't make me feel better Comrade," she sniffed again. "Are you in pain?" she asked him.

Janine and Abe didn't hear Dimitri reply, but they were positive Dimitri must have shook his head no, because Rose let out a sigh, that was mixed with exasperation and slight amusement.

"Admit it Dimitri," she said.

"What, that I love you?" he asked softly.

Janine and Abe looked at each other again, surprised at how relaxed and sure Dimitri sounded with his admission of love towards their daughter.

Rose sighed in content and whispered Dimitri's name like it was the only word in her vocabulary.

For the sake of their own ears, the two tuned their daughter and Dimitri out, to focus their attention back on each other.

"I've never heard her sound so…so girly." Janine, said in shock, struggling to find a word that accurately described Rose in that moment.

Abe nodded his head at Janine's statement. "She's a lot like you, you know? You only ever sounded 'girly' with me," Abe smirked down at Janine.

She smiled at her husband, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"He's a good guy," she admitted quietly.

"He is a good guy," Abe agreed.

The two looked towards the entry of the hallway again, content for the moment, that their daughter had found someone to love and care for her as they did.


	19. Chapter 19

**So this chapter was supposed to be a lot longer with a few dramatic and thought-provoking scenes in it, but I was confused on how to add them into the chapter without it having be a jumbled mess. Instead, I'm going to leave that for another chapter. This chapter isn't as long as my previous one, but I feel like you guys will like it ;)**

 **I finally came up with a rough outline of how I want this story to proceed and I truly hope you guys like it. I absolutely loved the response I got for the previous chapter and I literally reading what you guys have to say. I hope you like this chapter and please let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

The following Monday, I walked into school with an extra pep in my step. My mom finally approved of Dimitri and mines relationship and I could revel in the fact that there was one less thing for me to worry about.

I met up with Lissa by the locker, exchanging pleasantries with her.

"Practice is cancelled today, by the way," Lissa said closing her locker.

I looked at her wide-eyed.

"We just started our new routines last week. Why is it cancelled?" I asked her.

"I saw Christian in the parking lot and he said Tasha wasn't going to be here today," she shrugged. "So practice is cancelled."

I nodded my head, realizing my afternoon was now cleared up since I didn't need to stay for practice.

I took my phone out and quickly texted my parents, letting them know, before putting my phone away again.

"Did you decide what you want to do for the showcase at the end of the year?" I asked Lissa, remembering Tasha had mentioned it to me.

"No clue, what about you? Do you have any idea what you want to do?" she asked me.

"I'm not sure, but I want it to be completely different from what the school is usually used to us performing," I told her.

Her eyes widened and she grinned excitedly in my direction.

"Why don't you belly dance," she said excitedly.

I hadn't even thought of doing that and contemplated what she said.

"I don't know Liss, I'm not used to doing that in front of other people. I feel like that's more personal," I told her.

"Yeah, but you're so good at it Rose. And who else do you know that would do that for their showcase," she said.

"That is true," I told her. "I need to start practicing then, since I haven't done it in forever."

"You can practice in front of me," she said. I smiled in her direction and nodded, telling her that sounded like a good idea.

After the first bell rang, I sat in class and thought of another person I could practice in front of.

The image that popped into my head instantly heated me up and I mentally shook my head. Stan's class was not the time nor place to have any dirty thoughts about Dimitri.

The day had dragged on so slowly, that I was actually happy I didn't need to stay any longer than usual for practice.

Once the final bell ring, I took out my phone again and saw that my mom had texted me.

 ** _You're dad and I will both be home later bc we're stuck at work. Is there any way you can go to a friend's house?_**

Since I had practice on Mondays, my parents knew they didn't need to be home until at least 6.

I read her message again and glanced up, looking around the parking lot for Lissa. I saw Christian walk beside her, before they both got into her mini cooper. Well, she was out of the question.

I scrolled through my contact list, immediately finding Dimitri's name and clicking it.

After two rings, I heard his deep, accented voice.

"Hey Roza," he said, surprised to hear from me in the middle of the day.

"Hey Comrade, are you busy?" I asked him.

"No, I'm just about to leave work. Why, is everything okay?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, everything is good. It's just that I was about to go home and my mom texted me saying her and my dad won't be back until later. So I called to see if you wanted to hang out for a little while," I said.

"Definitely," he replied back immediately. "Come straight to my place and I'll make us dinner."

"Okay great, I'll see you soon," I told him, smiling at the thought of spending some alone time with Dimitri.

"Bye Roza," he said, before hanging up.

I quickly texted my mom and told her my plans, before making my way to Dimitri's house. His truck was already parked outside and I was overcome with just how much I missed his place. It really had become my second home, despite only living there for such a short amount of time.

I went to the front door and rang the bell.

A moment later, he opened the door, and immediately wrapped me up into his strong arms.

I eagerly responding back as I felt him brush his lips across my cheeks. I heard him close the door behind us and lock it.

"I missed you," he whispered tenderly. I didn't even have the chance to reply before he captured my lips with his own, kissing me deeply.

After pulling away, he dragged me further into the house by my hand.

"Dimitri I miss this place so much," I said as we made our way to the kitchen.

He looked at me and smiled affectionately in my direction.

I sat down at one of the seats at the kitchen counter and looked around. Everything looked the same as the day I had left. I took a deep breath and inhaled the scent that I associated with Dimitri's house.

"I hope you're hungry," Dimitri said, shutting off the stove. I saw him lift the pot of whatever he had been cooking and plating it into a large dish.

"I'm starving," I said.

"Good, I only had time to make spaghetti, though" he said.

"That's perfect Comrade," I told him, getting up again to get the both of us plates, utensils and drinks. I moved around the kitchen as if it was still my place, too.

Once we both sat down, we began to eat in comfortable silence.

"How was your weekend with Lissa," he asked me.

I had gone over Lissa's place this weekend for a little while, hoping to spend some quality girl time with her.  
We talked about everything under then sun and just when I had been getting ready to tell her about Dimitri, Christian had showed up. She looked only a little apologetic and guilty, but Lissa said she wanted the two people closest to her to get to know one another so I couldn't be too upset.

It actually wasn't as bad as I expected. Christian's sense of humor was so similar to mine, that I felt like Lissa had found herself the male version of me.

"It was good getting to catch up with her after so long. I actually wanted to tell her about you, but her boyfriend showed up so I never got the chance," I said, shrugging.

"Is he good guy," Dimitri asked and I was instantly touched. He didn't even know Lissa, yet he was concerned about whether her boyfriend was a good person or not.

"Yes, so much better than the last guy she had been with. Lissa is pretty emotional and when they broke up, he spread a bunch of nasty rumors about her. She was upset for the longest time," I said, thinking back to how her ex Aaron and his new girlfriend Mia had told lies about Lissa after they broke up. She had been heartbroken, and I could easily tell that even if her and Christian were to break up, he would never do something as low as Aaron had done.

"That's messed up," he muttered.

"Yeah, but I got him back for it," I told Dimitri, before taking another bite of the food.

"Oh yeah, what did you do?" he asked, looking and sounding intrigued.

I hesitated and blushed slightly, wondering if I should tell Dimitri or not. When he saw the reaction I had to his question, a grin spread across his face.

"You need to tell me Rose," he said. He pushed his plate away and rested his chin on his closed fist, looking like an eager little child.

I chuckled and nodded my head, telling him I would.

"Lissa had told me about how Aaron was…" I trailed off and gestured towards my crotch, "down there." Dimitri's eyebrows rose and he nodded, understanding what I meant. "Anyways, I shared that with the rest of the school, telling them that his dick was so small, I could chop it off and shove it up my ass, and I still wouldn't feel a thing. Him and his girlfriend looked so uneasy and embarrassed that everyone quickly figured out that he really must be that small," I told Dimitri, trying to gauge his reaction to what I just said.

Dimitri's eyes bugged out of his head, and he obviously was not expecting that to come out of my mouth. A laugh escaped him, and then another one. And before I knew it, he was doubled over in his seat, clutching his stomach and laughing louder than I had ever heard him. His reaction caused me to laugh along with him and we both sat there, giggling like a bunch of idiots.

"Wow, you were right when you said you had a colorful vocabulary," he said, when our laughter finally died down. I hummed in response, feeling happy with myself for getting such a reaction out of Dimitri.

"And this new guy is better?" he asked me.

"Much," I told him, nodding my head.

"That's good," he said.

"So what do you have for dessert?" I asked Dimitri, rubbing my hands together.

He glanced up and down my body, his gaze instantly warming me up from the inside. I thought back to a few weeks ago when I had presented myself to Dimitri as his dessert right at this kitchen counter. And I knew from the look he just gave me that he was thinking the same thing.

"Dimitri," I whispered, hearing my sudden arousal in my tone.

"Come here," he said, opening up his arms.

I quickly got out of my seat and walked over to him. He grabbed me by my waist and lifted me onto his lap. I moved closer, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders.

"Give me a kiss," he said quietly and I moved forward without a second thought, pressing my lips against his. I felt him brush his tongue against the seam of my lips and instantly parted them, allowing him entry.

The moment his tongue touched mine, I quietly moaned in pleasure. The sound caused Dimitri to pull me even closer. As I got more comfortable on his lap, I felt the growing bulge beneath me rub against my butt.

I pulled away from Dimitri, and he attached his lips to my neck, pressing soft kisses on my throat.

The feel of his lips on my skin caused me to wiggle in his lap again.

I felt him groan and grip my waist tightly, halting my movements.

"Rose please," he hissed out. His voice sounded so strained.

I looked into his eyes to see clear desire written on his face. Hell, I could feel how much he wanted me. But I could also see that his fists were clenched tightly, as if he was trying to restrain himself.

I once again thought back to that night when Dimitri ate me out on this kitchen counter and not once had he asked for anything in return. I put a little distance between the two of us, and looked down. We had only been kissing for a little while, but I could clearly see his hardness straining against the fabric of his jeans.

It seemed to be growing larger under my intense gaze and I wondered what it would look like if there weren't two layers of clothes covering it.

"I'm curious," I said, looking back into Dimitri's eyes. "About what it looks like, about what you look like."

Dimitri let out a gust of air through his mouth and his eyes darkened even more.

"You want to see me?" he asked, his Russian accent coming out thick.

I thought about what he said and a moment later, nodded my head.

"I haven't really seen one before," I quietly admitted. Dimitri's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and I quickly explained what I meant. "I mean I obviously saw his, but I always disconnected myself anytime he would touch me. I felt what he did, but I wasn't there in the head. I don't know I probably sound so confusing," I said apologetically, but Dimitri quickly took a hold of my hands and shook his head.

"I understand what you mean Roza," he told me sincerely, and I could tell he truly did.

Nathan came to me almost every night. He was the first man to see me naked. He took my virginity from me, and even though he was the only man I had ever been with, it didn't mean I ever became used to the idea of him forcing him self on me.

For those five months, I remembered lying there motionless, while he pretty much used my body for masturbation. I would close my eyes, and mentally bring myself to another place where I was happy and safe. It was only when I would hear him put his clothes back on that I would open my eyes again.

So while I had been with Nathan, I hadn't really been with him.

Dimitri was the first man to introduce me to the pleasures my body could receive. He allowed me to explore what I liked patiently and tenderly.

So today, I was ready to take another step with Dimitri, one that would be completely focused around him.

"Will you let me see you?" I asked him.

"That's something you want?" he asked me, sounding surprised.

"Yes," I told him nodding my head.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against my forehead. Then he moved down and kissed me softly on the lips.

Once he pulled away, Dimitri cupped my face in his large hands and said, "Let's go upstairs."

I wordlessly got up as he took my hand in his own and led me up to his room.

I instantly relaxed when I walked through the door, truly feeling like I was home now. God, I had missed this place.

I took my shoes off, wanting to get more comfortable. Dimitri gently pushed me onto the bed and walked away.

I sat comfortably on his bed, leaning my body against his pillows, with my knees pulled up to my chest.

Dimitri shut the door and drew the curtains closed so the room became darker.

Dimitri stood directly in front of me, his face void of his usual mask; each emotion clearly playing across his handsome features.

He bought his hands, the ones I had become so well acquainted with, down to the hem of his black t-shirt. Without any hesitation, he lifted the shirt off his body and discarded the material by his feet.

A content sigh left my lips at the sight of Dimitri's naked torso. There was a slight peppering of dark hair on his upper chest, but it just added to his manly appeal. Even with his scars, he was absolutely perfect.

His hands then went to the buttons of his jeans, but I interjected.

"Wait," I said, leaning forward slightly.

His eyebrows rose in surprise at my sudden outburst.

"Lose the hair tie," I told him. His eyebrow rose in that cool way I still didn't know how to do, and he took the hair tie out, throwing it on the dressing table behind him.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," I said. "You may proceed," I told him, gesturing towards his pants. He gave me a small smirk and bought his hands back to his jeans.

Without any interruption from me, he unbuttoned his pants, lowered his zipper, and slipped the denim down his long, muscular legs.

Underneath, he had on black briefs, resting low enough on his hips, that I was able to see his prominent 'V' and the start of the dark hair that rested above his manhood.

His bulge was hard and thick, straining against the fabric of his briefs, to the point where I was surprised at how he even fit himself into them.

This is as exposed as I had seen Dimitri. I had never seen him with less than this on before.

I tore my eyes away from the area between his legs and met his eyes. He was looking at me intensely, desire written clearly across his face. But he was waiting, I could tell.

He was waiting for me to give him the signal to move forward with what we'd started.

I silently nodded at him, wordlessly telling him what I wanted.

He took a deep breath and hooked his thumbs into each side of his briefs. There was a slight bit of hesitation before he lowered the last piece of material shielding my gaze from his nudity.

A gasp left my lips before I could stop it.

Below the rough patch of hair, Dimitri's manhood stood out, longer and thicker than anything I could have imagined. I shouldn't have been surprised though. He was built bigger and stronger than any male I had ever met, so why wouldn't he have a cock to match.

I didn't even need to have actually seen what Nathan looked like in all of his naked glory to know without a shadow of doubt that Dimitri had him beat by more than a couple of inches.

Desire swept through my body at seeing Dimitri like this and I could feel wetness begin to pool in between my thighs.

From head to toe, he was absolutely beautiful.

I looked up at Dimitri's face and another gasp left my lips for a completely different reason.

His breathing had picked up, along with mine and he was looking at me with complete and utter vulnerability.

I knew from Dimitri skills any time we had been intimate that he had definitely been with his share of women, but at this moment, with the way he was looking at me right now, you would think he was the inexperienced one.

"This is me Rose," he whispered into the quietness of the room and the vulnerability I saw in his face was completely evident in his voice. "This is me as exposed as I can ever be. And I know you aren't ready for the next step yet, but I want you to have me like no one else has or ever will. You're in control, so you tell me what I can give you. Tell me what it is you want."

I was taken back by Dimitri's words and at that moment I realized how difficult this must be for him, as well.

It's one thing to get naked and jump into bed when the partner you're with is doing the same, as well.

But it's another thing entirely to strip in front of the person you love, baring your body and soul to them so completely, that you have no way of physically or emotionally protecting yourself.

And this was a gift he was giving me. As much as he shielded himself and his feelings from the world, he was giving himself to me to do as I pleased.

And I loved him for it.

"Show me," I told him. "Show me what you do to please yourself. I want to see what you do when you think of me."

His eyebrows came low on his eyes that seemed darker than they had been a moment ago. Then he nodded his head, before striding over to his side of the bed.

He was so big and powerful and it exuded off of him in waves as he laid his body down on the bed beside me. Every inch of his body was heavy with muscle, but not overly bulky.

There was not an inch I would change on him. Not even one inch.  
I turned to my side and moved closer to him, so my legs brushed up against his arm.

My eyes were settled on his face, and I noticed a slight tinge of pink creeping up his neck, probably from a mixture of arousal and for being as exposed as he was in front of me.

He looked up at my face, his eyes softening tremendously.

"Look at me Roza," he whispered. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he noticed. "No, I want you to look at me."

Understanding flooded my body and I moved my gaze down the strong features of his face, past his muscled torso, until I was staring directly at his manhood. It seemed bigger than it had when he had first taken off his briefs and under my intense gaze, I saw his cock twitch towards the direction of his stomach.

"Watch my hand," he commanded lowly, before cupping himself in his right hand.

At the first skin-to-skin contact, I heard Dimitri quietly groan and I didn't think I could ever hear a sexier sound in my life.

Slowly, he began to move his hand up and down his straining length, twisting his fist every time it came into contact with the swollen head of his cock.

"Fuck," I heard him hiss and glanced at his face once again.

His jaw was clenched tight, his eyes set low, yet I could hear him breathing heavily.

I squeezed my thighs together, feeling the ache between my legs become uncomfortable. I was tempted to rid myself of my school skirt and touch myself in the same way Dimitri was doing, but I didn't want to miss a second of this.

Plus, I wanted tonight to be about Dimitri. He had been so selfless when it came to us being intimate. I wanted tonight to be completely about him and his pleasure.

I looked back down at his hips again, to see that the motion of his hand had started to speed up. Dimitri bought his left hand that had previously been clenched into a tight fist by his hip, underneath his cock to touch the heavy sack that lay beneath.

It must have felt good, because I could see the heels of his feet press against the sheets of the bed and while his hips jerked up.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, feeling like I was breathing just as heavily as Dimitri was.

"You," I glanced at him to see that he was already looking at me. I looked at him expectantly, wanting to hear more and he immediately understood. His lustful gaze dropped below my face to my chest and he spoke again.

"I'm thinking about how much I like running my tongue over your nipples, kissing and biting them," he groaned out quietly.

I moaned, thinking of all of the times he had his mouth attached to my breasts. He had already admitted to me that he had a thing for them, but hearing him say how it was one of the images he used during his pleasure caused the two peaks to harden and push uncomfortably against the fabric of my shirt.

"What else?" I whispered, bringing my eyes back down to his cock.

"I think about you in that uniform, a lot," he admitted and I was instantly grateful I didn't go home to change before coming over to his house.

"I think about how you taste," he said quietly, his voice straining in desire. "You taste so fucking good Rose, I'd have my mouth attached to your pussy all day if I could."

"Dimitri," I moaned quietly, aroused by not only his admission, but also due to the dirtiness of his words. Dimitri has had his head buried between my legs on more than one occasion, but hearing him use the words he just did to describe it turned me on beyond belief.

"And I think about what else could happen between us. I picture you underneath me, so soft and perfect, and imagine what it would feel like to have my cock buried in your pussy. I already know you'll feel better than anything I could ever imagine."

I released a deep sigh, and my hand own hand twitched before I clenched it tight. The movement of Dimitri's hand on his raging erection, the erotic thoughts he had shared with me, and the quiet noises of pleasure that were coming out of his mouth made me want to touch him.

Dimitri noticed the slight movement of my hand and with great self-restraint, slowed down the speed of his own hand.

"You want to touch me?" he asked, and I quickly turned to look at him again, surprised as always to see how well he was able to read me.

I didn't respond and he continued to speak. "You're curious about this, too. Aren't you? You want to know what I feel like," he didn't ask; he told me, voicing my thoughts exactly.

I nodded my head, any words I had stuck in my throat.

"Give me your hand," he said, using the hand that had just been stroking his cock, to grip my hand instead. He dragged me over until I was sitting directly between his parted legs.

He guided my hand onto his length, and enclosed it around himself. He quietly hissed at the feel of my skin on his.

My hand moved slightly once and I was surprised to feel him hot and pulsing beneath my palm. I moved my hand up and down again, mesmerized by how soft his skin felt, despite being as hard as he was.

Dimitri moved his hand away from mine allowing me to explore him on my own. My hand wasn't able to wrap completely around him, but that didn't stop me from moving my fist up and down the length of his cock.

Dimitri moved his own hands to my skin, wanting to touch any part of me could. His fingers grazed my arms, wrapped lightly around my neck, and twirled my hair around his fingers; anything he could do to just keep touching me.

"Does this feel good?" I asked curiously looking up at his eyes again.

"Yes," he hissed out. He moved his hand down to mine again and squeezed it harder around his cock. "Like that," he said, releasing my hand once again. I tightened my hand the way he liked and moved it over him. As I squeezed, a bit of precum leaked from the slit on the head of his cock and I ran my thumb over it, spreading it all around. Dimitri hummed in approval and closed his eyes.

Seeing the heavy sack lying beneath, I thought back to how aroused he had become touching it.

With that in mind, I moved my left hand up to cup and lightly squeeze his balls, causing him to jerk his hips up towards me.

"Yes," he groaned quietly, and I loved the sound so much, I kept up with my ministrations, moving my hand on his cock quicker and fondling his balls at the same time.

I looked at his raging manhood, wondering how he would ever fit inside of me, considering I could barely wrap my hand around him.

Would he be able to fit in my mouth?

Instinctively, I licked my lips at the thought. I could feel him warm and pulsing against the skin of palm. Would he feel the same way on my tongue?

Curious as hell to know, I lowered my head a little, my hair falling over my shoulder and spilling against his muscular thighs.

"Roza, what are you-"

He didn't have a chance to finish asking before I enveloped the head of his cock into my mouth, and closed my lips around him.

"Fuck," he groaned, moving both of his hands into my long locks and burying them in there.

Encouraged by Dimitri's reaction, I moved my mouth over his length like I had previously been doing with my hand.

Dimitri began to make even more noises than he had before, causing me to take more of his length down my throat.

His knees came up, caging me in my spot, but I wasn't going anywhere.

It was crazy to think how our positions were reversed. I was always the naked one, with Dimitri always taking care of my needs. And today, I finally had the chance to return the favor.

"Roza, I'm going to cum," he hissed, loosening the grip he had in my hair, allowing me the chance to move my mouth off of him.

Instead, I put more pressure on his balls, and hollowed my cheeks out, tightening my lips around his cock.

"Yebat," he groaned in Russian, before his hips jerked up again. Not even a moment later, I felt him spill his load into my mouth, and I didn't move, allowing him to use my mouth for pleasure just as I had been using his for the past few weeks.  
Once I felt his knees come down again and his hands leave my hair, I released him from my mouth and swallowed every drop that he had given me.

His chest was rising and his falling, and his lips were parted, as he looked at me in a whole new light.

He grabbed my forearms and pulled my body towards his so I was laying completely over his chest.

Dimitri cupped my face in the palm of his hands and pressed his lips hard against mine. I enthusiastically kissed him back, showing him just how much I enjoyed pleasing him in that way.

"How do you feel? Are you okay?" he asked once he pulled away.

I could tell he was nervous. This was a big step we had taken in our relationship and I was surprised to see how good I truly felt about it.

"I feel amazing," I told him softly. "Thank you for doing this for me, with me."

He chuckled, his chest vibrating against my own. "Roza considering what you just did, I should be the one thanking you."

I shook my head and smiled in his direction. "You know what I mean. You always do what you can to make me feel good. I'm just glad I got to return the favor for once."

"Don't feel like you ever need to, though," he said, much serious than he previously was. "Making you feel good makes me feel good. Don't ever feel like you need to do this just to make me happy, okay? I only want you to do it if it's something you want."

"I know," I nodded. "And this was something I really wanted to do. So thank you," I repeated him.

He bought his lips up to mine, kissing me slowly and deeply, before the need to breath caused us to pull away.

I would need to go home soon, considering I had school tomorrow.

But for now, I could lie in the arms of my man, enjoying this special moment we just shared together.


	20. Chapter 20

**So I apologize for another short chapter, but I promise its leading up to something bigger. I had an anon ask me how much longer this story would be and I feel like I still have 10 chapters left that I could do, which is crazy because I never thought I would pass 20 chapters.**

 **Also, I have a question to ask to which I know you guys are going to say a hard 'hell no' to, but I need to ask. How much would you hate me if I killed Dimitri or Rose off in the end? I want to soooo badly, but I am such a people pleaser that if you guys really hate the idea then I won't do it. But how memorable would the story be if one of them were to die lol**

 **Anyways I hope you guys like this short chapter, and please let me know what you think**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

The next few weeks went by smoothly, and I felt uneasy.

Don't get me wrong, I loved that everything seemed to be falling back into place. It's just that the past year had been so absolutely shitty and horrific for me that I kept waiting for something bad to happen.

No letters had come and no more ominous phone calls had been made to Nathan from this mystery female.

It all didn't sit well with me.

We were nearing March and with my parents blessing, I had once again started up my workouts with Dimitri.

While he was getting the equipment ready, I shared my thoughts with him.

"I'm just scared Dimitri," I told him, quietly, thinking that if I spoke any louder then all my fears would come true.

"Why?" he asked, dropping whatever he had been doing to stand in front of me.

"Something doesn't feel right," I said, letting out a shaky breath. "I would blame it on paranoia, but last time I felt like this was…." I trailed off, unable to look Dimitri in the eyes.

He wasn't having it though. I felt his rough hand gently cup my cheek, making me look him in the eyes.

"Was when Rose?"

I took a deep breath, and told him even quieter than I had spoken before.

"The last time I felt like this was right before I was taken," I admitted, suddenly feeling more exhausted than ever.

His other hand came up and he cupped my cheeks lovingly, running his thumb back and forth underneath my eyelids gently.

"No one is going to take you. I won't let anything happen to you," he told me. When I gave no reply back, he stepped closer to me, so I was only a breath away from him. In a harder and more serious tone than he had used before, he spoke again.

"Do you remember the night of our first date?" he asked, his eyes darkening tremendously. I gulped and nodded my head slowly, remembering that night all too well.

"And what did I say I would do for you Roza?" he asked.

I released a shaky breath thinking back to what he told me that night.

"You would kill for me," I whispered to him.

He didn't say anything else after that; only gave me a look so deep and meaningful that any word would have paled in comparison. He released his hold on me and walked back to setting up for our practice session.

Dimitri used my dance history as an advantage to help me learn how to fight quicker. When I had told him that I used to do ballet up until middle school, he had me show him my Pirouette, or how I spin. I was confused at first, but obliged seeing as Dimitri knew what he was talking about when it came to fighting.

"Do it again," he said, his mentor voice coming out strong. He did not play when it came to our practice sessions.

I stood on the tips of my right foot again, and spun in a circle like Dimitri asked.

"Now, I want you to spin your leg again, but this time harder. So when you spin towards me, I want you to put more power into your foot, got it?" he asked, and I nodded.

He put his hand out where he knew my foot would be and I spun just like he asked, kicking his hand as I went.

"Good, now I want you to do it even harder."

Again and again he made me spin, until the palm of his hand had become red from my kicks, but he was beaming with pride.

"Your dancing can really be used to your advantages Rose. The power you have in your legs is unbelievable," he said, once we had finished up for the day.

I smiled in his direction, loving the fact that he was so proud of me.

I turned around in a guise to pick up a dumbbell so my butt was closer to Dimitri's groin. I placed my hands on my knees and slowly moved my butt in a circle, emitting a deep groan from Dimitri's throat.

I looked back satisfied by the reaction I got out of Dimitri. I turned around and pressed myself close to him.

"You can't even imagine the advantages that come with my dancing Comrade," I told him seductively.

Dimitri and I had been getting closer and closer with each passing day, and the thought of giving myself completely to him didn't seem so far-fetched to me.

When I had first come back home months ago, I could not imagine allowing another man to touch me intimately. The thought of it seemed absurd to me. I had come to terms with the fact that I would never let anyone come close enough to hurt me again. To make me feel more afraid of my own skin than I already was.

Then Dimitri touched me for the first time. I had never imagined that the feel of someone's fingers running through my hair would make me feel good about myself, because that was where it had all started.

It started with something as small as the brush of his fingers in my hair.

And day-by-day, the disgust I thought I would feel at being touched by another man, completely vanished when I saw how gentle Dimitri was with me.

When I saw how he worshipped me with not only his hands, but with his intense gaze and never ending love and patience.

He made me forget that there was a time I ever felt dirty in my own skin.

So when I imagined taking that step with Dimitri, the thought of it didn't scare me anymore.

His eyes darkened in my direction due to the comment I made and as his mouth came close to mine, my phone rang loudly.

"Dammit," I hissed and grabbed it to see my mom was calling. I picked up immediately, hoping it was nothing too serious.

"Hey mom," I said once I answered her call.

"Hi Rose, have you already left Dimitri's?" she asked me.

I glanced up at Dimitri, and shook my head though she couldn't see it.

"No, I was getting ready to leave soon though. Why, what's up?"

"Can you stop by the grocery store before you come home? There were a few things I needed to get, but I don't think I'll have time after work," she asked, sounding hopeful.

"Sure, just text me what you need and I'll leave to get it now." I said, already sliding the back door to Dimitri's house open and walking in. I felt him come in behind me and close the door.

"Thank you sweetheart! I'll text you right now," she said.

"Okay sounds good. I'll see you soon mom," I told her.

"Bye honey."

"Bye mom," I said before hanging up.

I looked up at Dimitri and told him why my mom had called.

"I have to go to the grocery store Comrade so I'm going to head out," I said, grabbing my coat.

Dimitri took his duster off the hook and put it on, too.

"I need a few things, too so I'll follow you there," he said, walking with me to the front door.

We both made it to the grocery store in no time, each grabbing a cart to place our things in. I looked at the list my mom sent me and it was similar to what Dimitri needed so we went to each aisle together.

I never thought I would appreciate something as normal as grocery shopping, especially at my age.

But with Dimitri, every simple task gave me the greatest pleasure, because I got to do it with him.

I was trying to decide on a cereal to buy when I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Rose?" inquired the female and I turned around to see the beaming and very pregnant figure of my former dance coach.

"Coach Karp," I said excitedly, walking over to her. Dimitri had been standing closer to her and when she closed the distance between us, he was right in the middle. He looked between the two of us, but for the first time, I ignored him for the woman in front of me.

"How are you, honey?" she asked affectionately.

I hadn't realized how much I had missed her familiar face until now. After Alberta, she was the only other adult at St. Vladimir's who I genuinely cared for and who I knew cared for me in return.

"I'm doing really good, actually. Dance isn't the same without you, though" I told her genuinely.

"Oh you started dance! That makes me so happy Rose," she said, her eyes shining in my direction. She probably assumed it would be too difficult for me to start up again and even I was surprised at how quickly I had joined.

"By the way, this is Dimitri," I said, introducing the two to each other. "Dimitri, this is Sonya Karp."

"Nice to meet you," Dimitri said politely. "And congratulations," he said gesturing to her swollen belly.

I slapped my hand across his arm, quickly catching his puzzled expression.

"She's not pregnant," I whispered to him angrily.

Dimitri looked mortified as a deep blush made it's way onto his face. He looked between Coach Karp and I, gaping like a fish.

"I, I, I," he stuttered, turning a deeper shade of red.

"Oh Rosemarie hush!" Coach amusingly scolded me, and I was unable to contain my laughter. I clutched my stomach and doubled over as realization dawned on Dimitri's face.

Coach Karp started laughing along with me, but her politeness didn't allow her to not thank Dimitri so in between her giggles, she said, "Don't listen to Rose, I'm actually 8 months along, and thank you."

Dimitri glared in my direction only causing me to laugh even harder.

"Rose, I cannot even believe, you know what never mind," he said, sounding exasperated and turned away to continue his shopping.

"Stop, you're going to make me pee," Coach Karp said, clutching her belly to try to stop her self from laughing.

I wiped at my eyes and smiled widely in her direction, "He's going to kill me for that," I told her jokingly.

Once we had both calmed down, she looked at me again in something close to motherly affection.

"It's so good to see you like this Rose. When everything happened…" she trailed off and swallowed before continuing. "I just never thought I would see you like this," she said gesturing to my still smiling face.

I shrugged, not really know what to say.

"I had a lot of help," I told her, glancing in Dimitri's direction. He was examining different types of breads, yet the sight of him was enough to cause me to sigh in content. Coach Karp looked in the direction of Dimitri and turned back around to give me a knowing smirk.

"Ah, I see," she smiled. "How is the new coach, by the way? I didn't really get a chance to get to know her," Coach asked.

"She's good," I said. "Her dance skills aren't too great, but she's really nice so we all have an easier time following her directions."

"That's good," she said, nodding. "She must have been glad you joined."

I tilted my head in slight confusion, not understanding why Tasha would care if I was on the team or not. Coach Karp noticed my expression and added.

"It's just that right before I left, she sat in on my last coaching sessions to observe how I did things and she asked me why you weren't there," Coach said shrugging.

That was odd, considering I had met her after Coach Karp had already went on maternity leave.

"Well she's Lissa's boyfriend's aunt, so maybe that's why she wanted to know," I asked, not knowing if the question was for me or for her.

Coach shrugged again and said, "Probably. Anyways I should head home. My husband starts blowing up my phone if I am even a minute late. It was really good to see you Rose," Coach said sweetly.

"It was good seeing you, too. Take care," I said smiling before she waddled away.  
After finding Dimitri again and paying for our things, we began talking about the encounter in the parking lot.

"So she isn't your coach?" Dimitri asked, helping me load my items in the car after he finished putting his things away.

"She used to be, but I have a new coach right now," I said, as I saw Dimitri put the last of my bags into the trunk. "Her name is Natasha Ozera."

Dimitri's head whipped around in my direction and he looked at me in slight surprise.

"What?" I asked, alarmed by his sudden change in expression.

"What did you say your coach's name was?" he asked after shutting the trunk.

I walked over to him and leaned my hip against the boot of the car. Dimitri walked closer to me and did the same.

"Natasha Ozera," I repeated.

"Tasha," Dimitri whispered to himself in slight amazement, but I heard him clearly.

"You know her?" I asked in confusion.

Dimitri looked up at me and nodded his head in confirmation.

"Yeah, if we're talking about the same Natasha Ozera, then yeah I know." I looked at him expectantly, wanting to hear more on how he knew my new coach. "She's actually a really good friend of mine and Ivan's from back home. I haven't seen her since I left there though. I had no idea she was even in the states."

"What a small world," I said and Dimitri nodded in agreement. "And I think she just moved here. Her nephew is Lissa's boyfriend and that's what she had told me," I said, relaying to him what Lissa had said.

"Wow," Dimitri spoke quietly, still seeming surprised from this newfound information. "I wonder if Ivan knows she's here. He always had a thing for her," Dimitri told me.

"Really? I can't say I'm surprised though, she is very pretty," I commented.

Dimitri nodded his head a little. After a moment, he straightened himself up and pulled his keys out of his pocket.

"I'll let you get home before it gets dark. Call me before you go to bed?" he asked hopefully.

I smiled softly in his direction and nodded my head. "Definitely."

Dimitri leaned down and gave me a quick, soft kiss on the lips. Pulling away all too soon, he gave me one last smile before we both went out separate ways.

 ** _Dimitri POV_**

The next day I walked into work a little early, hoping to catch up with Ivan.

I felt like I hadn't seen or spoken to him in the longest time, and knew that he was going to be at work an hour earlier than me.

I also wanted to tell him what Rose had shared with me about Tasha being back in town.

Ivan and I met Tasha when we were 17, at a bar. Ivan was always a wild child so he had made us fake I.D.s when we were freshmen in high school. Unlike here in America, the legal drinking age was 18 in Russia so it was easier for Ivan and I to get into bars undetected.

Tasha was a few years older than us and had been drinking there alone. We hadn't even noticed her really until we saw a few guys approach her and start harassing her. If I had been strong enough to take on my father at the age of 13, I was pretty much indestructible at 17, especially going up against some scrawny looking men. All Ivan and I had to do was approach Tasha, acting like we knew her, for the men to immediately back off. And from there, the three of us had struck up a friendship.

Ivan and Tasha had been closer than I was with her, and when I had moved here at the age of 18, I pretty much lost all contact with her.

So I wanted to see if Ivan knew about Tasha being in town.

I saw the blond hair of my childhood best friend up ahead and caught up with him.

"Hey man," I said, before plopping down in my seat.

Ivan looked up from his paperwork and gave me a small grin.

"Hey Dimka, what's happening," he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders in response and replied, "Not much."

He nodded and his phone went off, indicating he had a text message.

He glanced down at it and smiled at the screen affectionately, reminding me a lot of how I look when Rose calls or texts me.

The sight of Ivan like that immediately made me think of our conversation from last week.

"Hey you never finished telling me about who you were going on a date with," I said, realizing our conversation had been cut short when Abe had walked in.

He finished typing on the phone and looked back up at me.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you Dimka," Ivan said, smiling in my direction.

I suddenly thought of what Rose had told me and looking at Ivan's beaming expression, I said the first thing that came to mind.

"Tasha?" Ivan's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at me dumbfounded, confirming my answer.

"How did you know?"

"It was a lucky guess," I said and he looked at me disbelievingly. "Actually I came here early to tell you about her. Rose told me that she's her new dance coach."

"She mentioned she got a job at St. Vladimir's, but I wasn't sure if she knew Rose or not," he told me.

"I didn't know you were still in contact with her," I said to him.

"I wasn't," Ivan told me. "I ran into her at the bar last week. She told me she moved here to be closer to her brother and his family and mentioned that she got a job at the school."

"So how was the date then?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat. Immediately, Ivan smiled in my direction, which only caused me to smile in response.

"Amazing," he commented and seemed slightly embarrassed at how happy he sounded. "You know I always had a thing for her."

"Oh I know," I said, knowing all too well how he used to pine for her back when we were teenagers.

"We've seen each other everyday since. It's like I can't get enough of her," Ivan said, looking down at his phone to see if she texted him back or not.

I understood what he meant completely. I could spend all day with Rose and still miss her the minute she left.

"Tasha was actually asking about you," Ivan said and I raised my eyebrow in surprise. "She wanted all three of us to get together, just like old times."

"I'd like that," I told him.

"Maybe you can talk to Rose and the four of us can get together," he said.

"I'm not too sure about that Ivan. It might be weird for both Tasha and Rose, considering that's her teacher," I said to him apologetically.

"You're right, I didn't even think of that," Ivan commented. "Well than maybe the three of us could hang out?" he asked hopefully and I immediately nodded my head, telling him that sounded like a great idea.

He excitedly picked up his cellphone to call Tasha and set up a day for the three of us to get together.

As I saw my best friend smile and speak affectionately into the phone, I couldn't help but hope to see that look become a permanent feature on his face.


	21. Chapter 21

**So I wasn't going to update so quickly, but after reading all of the comments for the previous chapter, I needed to ease your minds a bit. I promise not to kill Rose or Dimitri off, but I am so glad I asked before doing so or you guys would've hated me lol.**

 **I don't think I'll update the new chapter as quickly, because I have a lot of homework but you never know. Still, it should be out before the week ends. This chapter is also short, but it's leading up to something bigger, I promise.**

 **Please let me know what you think and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

"So how did it go?" I asked Dimitri a couple of days later.

I had come over to his place straight after dance practice on Friday, because he wanted to have dinner together.  
I watched Dimitri from my seat at the kitchen counter as he stirred whatever it was that he was cooking on the stove.

"It was really nice Rose," Dimitri said, referring to the dinner he had two nights ago with Ivan and Tasha.  
When Dimitri had told me that Ivan and Tasha were an item, I was shocked. It was always weird to imagine your teachers having personal dating lives, but I couldn't deny that with the combination of Ivan's Hollywood good looks and Tasha's model-like features, that they made a stunning couple.

"We talked about all of the things we used to do back home. I can't believe it had been seven years since I had seen her," Dimitri said, smiling at me.

Like always, that soft look came across Dimitri's face whenever he mentioned his home life or childhood. I swear there was nothing I enjoyed more than hearing about something that Dimitri kept so close to his heart, like his friendship with Ivan and Tasha.

"So how were Tasha and Ivan together," I asked intrigued. Dimitri had told me about Ivan's idea for the four of us to get together, but I was completely on Dimitri's side in this. I had began to thoroughly enjoy her presence at dance, but being in a personal setting like a double date with her just seemed awkward and uncomfortable.

"They make a really great couple. I have never seen Ivan like that with another girl before. I'm serious when I say that half the time, I don't even think the two realized I was there," Dimitri said chuckling as he thought back to the dinner.

"That's so sweet," I commented genuinely.

The only image I really had of Ivan was from the night of Dimitri's birthday party. While I had been dancing with Adrian and Sydney, Ivan had grinded with so many different women, that I lost count after the third one.

So to hear a guy like that be so smitten with a woman he's liked from the time he was a teenager was absolutely adorable.

Dimitri set the food out, showing me had made shrimp scampi with a side of garlic bread and roasted potatoes.

"You really know how to keep a woman happy Comrade," I told him, piling my plate high with food.

Dimitri showcased a rare moment of arrogance, by smirking cockily in my direction.

"You know that all too well, don't you Roza," he said, his voice lower than it had been before.

An array of dirty images of things we could do after dinner popped into my head, causing me to eat quicker than I had intended.

As we ate, a question popped into my head, and I wanted to ask it now rather than ruin the mood of the night by bringing it up to Dimitri later.

"I meant to ask you," I said and saw that I already had Dimitri's full attention. "Did that mystery woman call Nathan again?"

Dimitri put his fork down and sighed in disappointment and regret, before shaking his head.

"No, I'm sorry Rose. I left work at 5 and checked again right before leaving, and there hadn't been any new phone calls made to him," he said regrettably

Obviously that was something that should have made me happy, that maybe the person who Nathan had after me had gotten bored of her job and decided to back off.

I just hated not knowing.

I hated that I had no clue who this mystery female was or when Nathan would decide to send her after me again.

"It's okay," I said quickly, not wanting to make Dimitri feel worse over something he had no control over. "You'll let me know though if something new comes up?"

"Absolutely," he said, nodding.

We finished up the rest of the dinner with small talk, before helping each other clean up all the dishes we had used.

As I wiped my hand on the dishtowel and placed it down, I saw Dimitri already walking over to me.

He sandwiched me between his big, strong body and the counter, and dragged his hand up the inside of my thigh.

"Let me get a taste of my favorite dessert," he said, his voice husky in my ear. Dimitri had just attached his soft lips to my neck when the doorbell rang.

"Ignore it," Dimitri mumbled against the skin of my throat.

I mentally shook my head, trying to clear my mind of the desirable fog that had overtaken it.

"It could be important," I said, lightly pushing against Dimitri's chest. He dropped his forehead onto my shoulder and quietly groaned in frustration.

All too soon, he pulled away and walked in the direction of the front door with me trailing close behind him.

"Were you expecting someone?" I asked, just as the doorbell rang again.

"Not that I know of," Dimitri said, shaking his head.

He opened the door, revealing two people neither of us was expecting to see tonight.

"Tasha?" Dimitri asked, as he looked at the frustrated, raven-haired beauty. I was still halfway in the living room so she hadn't noticed me yet, though I could clearly see her.

Tasha was leaning against Dimitri's doorframe, supporting what looked to be a completely wasted Ivan.

"A little help here Dimka," she said, a bit out of breath.

Immediately, Dimitri kicked into action, putting Ivan's arm over his own shoulders and walking him over to the couch. The blond not so gently plopped down into the leather face first, mumbling something completely incoherent.

"I'm sorry to just show up like this, but I had no idea what-Rose?!" she exclaimed once she saw me standing there in the living room. She looked wide-eyed between Dimitri and I, clearly surprised to me there.

Hell, I knew of her and Ivan's relationship and even I was shocked to see her here so I couldn't imagine what she must have felt seeing me.

"What…?" she trailed off, looking over at Dimitri again.

See, totally awkward.

Dimitri cleared his throat and explained.

"Tasha, I see you've met Rose," he said, gesturing me closer to him.

"Hi," I waved timidly, not knowing what to do in this situation.

It's not like Dimitri and I were hiding our relationship, because that was not the case. But Tasha was technically my teacher and a close friend of Dimitri's, so I didn't know what kind of reaction she would have to seeing me here in his home, at this time of the day no less.

She looked between Dimitri and I again, opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

She quickly composed herself though, smiling in both of our direction.

"I had no idea. Why didn't you say anything the other night Dimka?" she asked him.

Dimitri shrugged slightly and said, "It just never came up."

"I hope this isn't too awkward," I said, gesturing between Tasha and I.

She quickly shook her head no.

"No, what you do out of school is none of my business Rose," she said, not unkindly. She looked back over at the couch where Ivan was struggling to sit up and all three of us turned to look at him, having momentarily forgotten that he was even there.

"I feel really bad now," she muttered looking back at Dimitri and I once again. "I had no idea you were busy Dimka, but I didn't know where else to go," she said slightly blushing and I could hear the guilt in her tone.

I quickly spoke up before Dimitri even had the chance, wanting to put the poor woman out of her misery.

"Please, don't feel bad. We weren't busy," I said and Dimitri nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, don't ever feel guilty for coming here Tasha. What is going on though?" he asked concerned as he took another look at his inebriated friend.

Tasha sighed in frustration and explained.

"Last night, Ivan and I got into an argument, because he overheard me on the phone with Lucas. He kept throwing questions my way saying he didn't believe I had been on the phone with my brother so I got upset and kicked him out. I come home from work today to see him," she paused, gesturing towards Ivan, "drunk as can be on my front porch."

Tasha swiped at her eyes and I could clearly see how frustrated and upset she was over this.

"I have a family dinner tonight, because it's my nephew's birthday or I would have never shown up like this." She sighed deeply again. "But I had no idea you were going to be here Rose so now I feel really bad. You know what, I'm just going to cancel," she said, taking her phone out.

"No," Dimitri and I both said in unison. She looked up slightly startled at our combined outburst.

"Leave him here, you go spend time with your family," Dimitri said kindly.

"Are you sure?" Tasha asked, looking at me again.

"Positive," I said, smiling at her to show her how okay I was with this. "Seriously go, Dimitri and I will take care of this," I said, hooking my thumb in Ivan's direction.

"I owe you both big time," she said, sighing in relief.

"Don't be silly Tasha," Dimitri replied, waving her off.

She gave Dimitri a small smile, before reluctantly heading towards the front door. Tasha looked at the couch again, where Ivan was sprawled out.

"Dimka, you've been there with us since the beginning. I would never hurt-"

"I know," Dimitri said softly, cutting off whatever Tasha was going to say. "I know, I'll talk to him once he sobers up."

She smiled again at Dimitri and nodded her head. "Seriously, let me know if you need me," she said looking between Dimitri and I again. "I'll be here before you know it."

"We know," Dimitri said. "Now go, enjoy your night."

Tasha opened the front door and after apologizing and thanking both Dimitri and I profusely again, she walked to her car and left.

"Wow," I said, releasing a deep breath after Dimitri shut and locked the front door.

"Tell me about it," Dimitri replied and we both made our way to the living room where Ivan had finally sat himself up.

"When the hell did I get here?" he mumbled in confusion as he looked around Dimitri's place.

I walked closer to him and could smell the alcohol reeking off of his body.

Ivan stared up at me, wide-eyed. He slowly moved his hand in my direction, almost looking afraid.

Dimitri and I shared a confused look before turning our attention back to Ivan.

"Tasha," Ivan whispered in disbelief. "You look so different. Did you get a boob job?" Ivan asked and Dimitri quickly slapped his hand away from coming any closer to me.

"Ow," Ivan groaned loudly, clutching his hand to his chest. "Dimka what the hell are you doing here?" He moved closer, trying to whisper in secret so I wouldn't hear, though he was as loud as he could be. "Is it just me, or does Tasha look different?" He asked, trying to stealthily nod his head in my direction.

Dimitri sighed in annoyance, but I found the whole thing comical. Obviously, I felt bad that Ivan and Tasha had such a bad disagreement that he decided to get day drunk, but drunk Ivan was funny.

"Tasha dropped you off here since you decided to be a dumbass and get wasted during the day," Dimitri told him, his hands on his hips. He looked like such a frustrated parent right now. "This," Dimitri said, pointing at me, "is Rose."

Ivan's mouth dropped opened and he looked at me excitedly.

"What a coincidence," he exclaimed. "Isn't your girlfriend's name Rose?"

Dimitri slapped a hand on his forehead as a giggle escaped me.

"Not funny Roza," Dimitri muttered, less than enthusiastically.

"Pretty funny Comrade," I giggled in response.

"Ivan, when was the last time you ate?" Dimitri asked.

"Let's see," Ivan mumbled. He put out his hands and began to quietly count off on his fingers. Dimitri and I leaned closer to try hear what it was that he was rambling about since he seemed so concentrated at the moment. "I'm 25 right now," he said, before counting off on his fingers again. After what seemed like two whole minutes of this, he looked up at both of us confused. "What was the question again?"

Dimitri groaned out loud, before grabbing Ivan's arm and dragging the blond to his feet. He walked him over to the kitchen before dropping Ivan not so gently onto the seat at the kitchen counter.

"Ow, Dimka my butt," Ivan complained, rubbing his bottom from how hard he dropped down into his seat.

I walked into the kitchen with Dimitri as he warmed up some bread and potatoes left over from dinner.

"He needs something to soak up all of that alcohol," Dimitri said, before putting the plate in front of Ivan. "Eat," he said sternly and the blond nodded slightly scared as one would after they had been scolded by their parent.

Dimitri and I sat down across from Ivan, as he began to shovel the food down his throat, showing us just how hungry he had been.

Dimitri ran a frustrated hand through his shoulder length hair.

"I've never seen him this bad Rose," Dimitri said, turning to look at me. I could see that behind the frustration was a worried friend.

I placed a comforting hand on top of Dimitri's and asked, "He's never been in a serious relationship before?"

"No," Dimitri shook his head. "It's deja-vu though. This exact same thing happened back when we were all in Russia. They hadn't been in a relationship, but it was clear Ivan had feelings for her. And just like this time, he had overheard her speaking on the phone with a guy and overreacted, resulting in this," he said, gesturing to Ivan as he was right now.

"Shhh, can you two keep it down," Ivan scowled. "I can't taste my food over all the noise," he muttered angrily before taking another big bite.

Dimitri raised a confused eyebrow in Ivan's direction before looking at me, again.

"She seemed really upset, too though," I commented, thinking back to how Tasha had looked.

"I agree, I think he just misheard something and overreacted. I can't see her cheating on him," Dimitri said. We heard Ivan burp loudly, and turned to see he had eaten every thing on the plate.

"Gross," I mumbled, before taking the plate and putting it in the sink.

"Ivan, you literally reek. I'm taking you to the bathroom to shower," Dimitri said, coming over to Ivan's side again and helping him stand up.

I followed close behind as Dimitri dragged the man up the stairs and into the bathroom.

Dimitri left quickly to grab a fresh towel and pair of his own sweats, boxers, and shirt for Ivan to wear. As we waited on Dimitri, Ivan sleepily began to take off his shirt. He had lifted it off his torso, before the material got stuck on his arms and over his head.

He screamed loudly, before rushing forward quickly and running full force into the wall. He stumbled back and continued to screech. "I'm blind, I'm blind!"

I jumped in surprise at his sudden outburst before grabbing the man by his waist and trying to halt his movements.

He kept screaming as I stood on my tiptoes to try and take Ivan's shirt completely off his body.

"I'm blind, I'm- oh hey Rose," he said cheerfully once I dropped the shirt into the hamper.

Dimitri rushed in at the noise and taking one look at my exasperated expression, figured out enough to know that there was no real emergency.

I moved towards the door of the bathroom, not wanting to see Ivan in all his naked glory.

He put one foot into the shower, while the other remained on the tiled floor of the bathroom. Ivan looked at Dimitri and I in complete and utter confusion.

"Am I getting in or out?" he asked. I giggled at his question and Dimitri shook his head in amusement. Ivan sniffed his armpit and made a gagging noise. "Definitely getting in," he mumbled, before closing the shower curtain behind him. A moment later I saw his pants and underwear fly above the curtain and land on the floor of the bathroom.

"That's my cue to leave," I said, once I heard the shower turn on. Dimitri followed me out of the bathroom as we heard Ivan start to sing an off-key rendition of 'Scars to your Beautiful.'

"I'm sorry the night turned out like this Roza," Dimitri said apologetically.

I quickly shook my head and waved him off. "Don't be silly Dimitri, I don't care. I'm just glad I was here so you didn't have to take care of him by yourself."

Dimitri gave me a small smile as we both leaned against the wall opposite of the bathroom door, waiting to hear the shower turn off.

Dimitri was looking down at his feet, deep in thought.

I reached over and gently took a hold of his hand, bringing his attention back to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly, seeing the concern and frustration clear as day on Dimitri's face.

"I'm just thinking," he said. "What could Ivan have heard that made him think it wasn't her brother?" Dimitri asked, and I knew the question wasn't directed towards me. That was the question that seemed to be going on in his mind right now.

I didn't say anything, because I didn't know what to say. Dimitri knew Tasha and Ivan way better than I did, so all I could really do right now was lend Dimitri my support through comfort.

I kept a hold of his hand until we heard the shower turn off. After a few curses and the sound of Ivan running into the wall again, he emerged from the bathroom fresh and clean.

His face looked haggard and his eyes were red. The shower seemed to have cleared his intoxicated haze a bit and he seemed more aware of his surroundings than he had been before.

"I need a hug," he mumbled sadly and before I knew it, I was wrapped up in Ivan's arms, with his head resting on my shoulder.

I raised my own hands and ran them soothingly over his back. "There, there."

I glanced over at Dimitri to see him staring at us wide-eyed. I looked at him in confusion, wondering what the big deal was. I mean Ivan was his best friend. He could trust us, couldn't he?

Except a wide grin took over Dimitri's face, and his eyes shined with pride and happiness.

I looked at him ever more confused now.

"Rose," he said and then gestured at Ivan and I. "You're hugging him."

My eyebrows that had been furrowed in confusion quickly shot up, and Dimitri smiled even wider once he saw that I came to the same realization as he had.

"Oh my God I'm hugging him," I exclaimed loudly, jumping up and down as much as I could in Ivan's hold. Ivan pulled away from me slightly, though his arms were still around my waist. "Ivan, I'm hugging you!"

Ivan gave me a funny look and nodded slightly. He glanced over at Dimitri and quietly said, "Is she stupid?", sounding genuinely concerned for my mental state.

Dimitri chuckled and shook his head, and we both wordlessly decided it wasn't even worth getting into with Ivan in the condition he was currently in.

Dimitri, my parents and Lissa were the four most important people in my life. Being physically close with them was understandable.

This was only the third time I had met Ivan and I was surprised to see that his touch hadn't sent me into panic attack.

When he hugged me, I felt like how I would have felt if someone I knew hugged me, before Nathan had taken me.

I felt normal and completely at ease.

And seeing Dimitri's beaming expression matching my own, I could tell I was that much closer to being okay. I knew there would never be a time where I would completely recover, because my emotional scars were too deeply imbedded into my soul.

But I was learning that that was okay, too. What I had been through shaped who I was today. As long it didn't interfere with my life and happiness, then I didn't mind the scars I had.


	22. Chapter 22

**Sooooo guys this is the last small chapter before the long ones begin. I felt really bad at just how short this chapter is, but I needed to end it the way I did and you'll see why once you reach the end. I also did update literally 12 hours ago so I'm not beating myself up about it too much.**

 **This chapter is in 3rd POV because I needed to get multiple people's thoughts into it. I already started on the next chapter and I am literally so excited to update it, but it definitely will not be today. All I can say is, drama is coming.**

 **Also, I just wanted to add that I really love and appreciate all of you guys. I read each one of your reviews over and over again and that fact that you feel just as passionately about this story as I do warms my heart. I really hope you'll love it till the very end. Anyways, I've rambled enough. Enjoy this super short chapter and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

When Dimitri woke up, he wanted to speak with Ivan, but his friend was already gone.

Dimitri was hoping to at least have breakfast with him and try to understand why he had assumed Tasha was lying.

Just like he had done the other day, Dimitri dressed quickly, hoping to catch up with Ivan early at work.

When he arrived, the blond was resting his head on his closed fist, looking as if he would fall over any second.

All of the alcohol he had consumed the day before caught up with him and he felt as if someone was drilling a hole into his head.

"Hey sleeping beauty," Dimitri greeted Ivan.

"Dimka," Ivan groaned out loud as he rubbed his temple, "keep it down. Hey do you know why I have a bruise on my head?"

Dimitri looked over at Ivan, trying hard not to laugh.

"Yeah, you thought you went blind and ran into a wall," Dimitri told him and Ivan groaned in embarrassment.

Dimitri dragged his chair over to Ivan's desk and situated himself right in front of his best friend.

"So you want to tell me what yesterday was all about?" Dimitri asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," mumbled Ivan as he tried to busy himself with the paperwork in front of him.

"I'm talking about Tasha showing up at my door at 7 p.m. with your drunk ass," Dimitri said. He leaned back in his seat and waited for Ivan to start telling him what exactly had happened between the couple.

Ivan sighed in frustration and ran a tired hand down his face. Leaning back in his chair as well, he decided to get it over with once he realized Dimitri wouldn't leave him alone without receiving a solid answer.

"We were having dinner Thursday night when her phone rang. I didn't see who it was that was calling her, but she got up quickly and left the room to answer it. I swear I didn't even think anything of it, I mean everyone has a right to their privacy. But I had gotten up to use the bathroom and I overheard her giggling on the phone before telling the person she loved them," Ivan said.

"Tasha said that it was her brother Lucas that had called," Dimitri told him.

"Yeah she told me that, too," Ivan scoffed and shook his head. "But I think she was lying to me. So I called her out on it and she got upset, and kicked me out."

"How are you so sure she's lying though? It doesn't seem like Tasha would be seeing someone else while being with you," Dimitri said. "I mean she seemed really upset when she came over with you yesterday."

Ivan rubbed the heel of his hand against his eyes, already feeling tired of this conversation. He had been in love with Tasha since he was 17 and he wanted to believe he had been over reacting, too.

"Something just seems off Dimka," Ivan muttered.

"Was it the fact that she said I love you? I mean I say that to my sisters all the time and they say it back, you know this," Dimitri said.

Ivan didn't say anything for a while and Dimitri assumed that he had gotten through to him. Then, Ivan leaned forward in his chair and spoke again.

"I've heard Karo, Sonja, and Vika say I love you to you all my life. This was different," Ivan said and Dimitri didn't know what else he could say.

Ivan seemed sure of what he had heard and as much he wanted to believe what Dimitri was saying, he just couldn't accept it that easily.

"Have you talked to her at all?" Dimitri asked him.

"No," Ivan said, shaking his head. "I have a few messages from her telling me to call her, but I haven't responded back. I don't even know what to say," Ivan said, feeling completely confused and helpless in his current situation.

"I think you should call her and meet up with her in person. Let her explain her side and you tell her yours," Dimitri suggested.

"You're right," Ivan said, nodding. "Dimka I really hope I'm over reacting."

"I hope you are, too," Dimitri replied.

There wasn't much more he could say so Dimitri left Ivan alone for the time being to get started on his own work.

There was so much paperwork he had to catch up on, that it was nearing the end of his shift before he even knew it.

Just like he did everyday, Dimitri logged in and got access to the Tarasov Prison's personal page. He pulled up Nathan's information to see if the man had received anymore phone calls recently.

Sighing in disappointment, Dimitri saw that there were none. The last phone call had been the one Adrian and Dimitri listened to weeks ago.

He didn't want to feed into what Rose had said the other day at practice, but Dimitri was beginning to feel a bit uneasy about this whole situation, too.

For weeks, there were constant visitors and calls made to Nathan, along with letters arriving at Rose's house at least once a week.

And now suddenly, it had just stopped.

That bothered Dimitri, but he had to be careful he didn't make it known to Rose, because it would just cause her to worry even more.

"Alright man, I'm going to go over to Tasha's and talk with her," Ivan said, pulling Dimitri out of his thoughts.

"Good luck, and tell me how it goes," Dimitri said, shutting down his own computer and getting ready to head out.

"I will," Ivan said, before he left the Headquarters.

Ivan had texted Tasha earlier asking her if they could talk in person and she had replied back, telling him to come over whenever he was done with work.

He pulled up to her house, feeling more nervous than anything. He hoped Tasha could clear all the doubts up for him, because he cared too much about her to lose her.

Ivan rang the doorbell and Tasha answered, looking just as tired as Ivan did.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hi, come in," she said, moving over and allowing him to walk in. She led him into the living room and they both sat down.

The two didn't say anything for a while, waiting for the other to speak up first.

Sighing in frustration, Tasha asked, "Ivan what was that yesterday? I come home and you're wasted on my front porch."

"I was upset," he muttered.

"Well I was upset, too but I didn't act like you did. We're adults Ivan, that was ridiculous," Tasha said, getting upset.

Ivan put his head down and tried to come up with the best way to ask this and realized there was no easy way.

"Who was on the phone Tasha," he asked quietly.

Tasha exhaled sharply, causing Ivan to look up at her. He could tell she was just as frustrated as he was, because her blue eyes filled with tears.

"Like I said before, it was Lucas. Why don't you believe me?" she asked, sounding hurt. The tone of her voice tugged at Ivan's heartstrings. He hated seeing her this upset, especially when he knew he was the cause of it.

"The way you sounded on the phone…" he trailed off, but she didn't jump in. "Tasha the way you were on the phone, it didn't sound like you were talking to your brother," Ivan finally said.

Tasha wiped at eyes and Ivan moved forward to comfort her, but thought better of it. They needed to clear this up first.

"You know more than anyone how rough it was for me growing up," she spoke quietly and she was right, because Ivan did know. "I just got back into touch with Lucas in November. If I sounded different or extra excited speaking on the phone with my brother that I practically had no relationship with growing up then I'm sorry," her voice cracked and Ivan immediately moved forward to pull the raven-haired woman into a tight hug.

"Hey, hey I'm sorry," he said softly, running a soothing hand up and down her back. He could feel her shaking in his arms and he felt like shit for what he had done. "I'm sorry for overreacting. I just got freaked out when I heard you on the phone the other night. This relationship stuff is all new to me," he apologized. Tasha pulled away and wiped at her eyes.

"It's new to me, too but you handled it the wrong way," she told him.

"I know, I'm sorry," he said again, really meaning it.

"I mean thank God Dimka was there to help," Tasha said. "Which reminds me, you never told me about him and Rose."

"It never came up," he said shrugging. "Plus he didn't want to make you or Rose feel uncomfortable considering she's technically your student."

'That makes sense," Tasha commented. "I'm not going to lie, it was a little awkward seeing her at his house yesterday, but she was really helpful with you."

"She's a good girl, perfect Dimka," Ivan said. Tasha nodded, but didn't say anymore on the topic.

"Are we okay now?" she asked Ivan.

He looked her in the eyes and saw just how upset his accusation had made her and nodded. "Yeah, we're okay."

Tasha gave him a small smile and kissed him softly on the lips. Things heated up pretty quickly between the two, and it didn't take long for the pair to fall into bed together.

Later on, Ivan kissed Tasha goodnight and made his way back home, but not before shooting Dimitri a text telling him everything had worked out between the two.

Tasha closed the door behind her, and leaned against the wood, feeling, just like she had been since she reconnected with Ivan, an overwhelming amount of guilt.

She sighed deeply and walked over to where her phone was sitting on the coffee table. Tasha picked it up to see she had a missed call from a familiar number. Sighing in regret once again, she called the number back.

"Hey baby," she said, once she heard the familiar person tell her hello.

Way past midnight, the doorbell rang, and Tasha rushed over to answer it.

She opened the door and let the familiar young man in. She went back into the kitchen and he followed close behind her.

He had come over straight from work, still dressed in his prison guard uniform.

She felt him wrap his arms around her waist and place a kiss underneath her ear.

"I missed you," Ethan whispered, running his nose along the length of Tasha's neck.

She sighed happily and turned around, kissing him on the lips.

Like always, she had to silently tell herself that this needed to be done.

Ivan had been right in his suspicion. She never meant to run into him at the bar and get him involved, but there was nothing that could be done about it now.

She loved him more, that much was clear.

Once Ethan's needs were satisfied, he fell asleep in Tasha's bed, but she was wide-awake.

It was nearing the end of everything they had been planning.

Ethan was ready and so was he.

There was just one last thing Tasha needed to do before the plan was finalized.  
She sat in the darkness of her living room, clutching her cell phone to her chest.

"Come on, you can do it," she whispered to herself. She had been repeating that to herself for the past hour, trying to work up the courage for what she was going to do.

If she felt an ounce of guilt over Ivan, Tasha felt like she would drown in guilt over what she was about to do next.

The only thing that pushed her to complete this final part of the plan was that he promised no one would get hurt, and she trusted him more than she trusted herself.

With that thought in mind, Tasha dialed the foreign number and placed the phone against her ear.

After three rings, a familiar female voice answered.

"Hello," the girl said, her Russian accent coming out thick.

"Viktoria, it's Natasha Ozera, long time no talk."


	23. Chapter 23

**Guys I struggled so much with writing this chapter and I'm still not 100% happy with it. I wrote out 3 different chapters and couldn't decide what I wanted to upload first. I don't want to drag out this story too much so I decided to just straight into the drama.**

 **It might seem like I rushed through the beginning part, but I will go deeper into everything that happens 2 chapters later. Also, who wants to take a guess at what the next chapter will be about? ;)))) For now, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

I woke up the day before my birthday foolishly believing today was going to be a good day.

I got dressed and went to school thinking everything was going to be fine.

I sat in class and heard my name being called over the intercom telling me to come to the office, and told myself that was completely normal; that they probably just had to ask me a question.

I had been wrong.

Because when I stepped into the office, I was met with my parents panicked faces and a group of police officers.

And I knew. No one had to say a word to me and I knew.

 ** _International Drug Lord Nathan Nabakov has Escaped from Tarasov Prison_**

 ** _Earlier this Morning, Nathan Nabakov Escaped from Maximum Security Prison_**

 ** _After Being Convicted 4 Months Prior, Nathan Nabakov has Escaped from Tarasov Prison, Officials Believe it was an Inside Job_**

 ****Those were the news reports popping up on the screen of my phone every time it buzzed in my hand. Those were the headlines I heard as my parents turned on the TV at home. That was the information the police officers regrettably told me as I stood there, feeling after so long, completely and utterly helpless.

It was over. Everything good that had been happening so far was over.  
Nathan had escaped and it wouldn't be long before he got his hands on me again.

No one, and I mean no one knew Nathan like I knew him. Dimitri, my parents, and a whole fucking army could be stationed outside of my house and I knew without a doubt in my mind that sooner or later, I would end up back with him.  
"Are you okay Kizm?" my father asked me cautiously when we arrived back home.

I looked at my parents and saw clearly how scared they were for me and so I nodded.

"I'm okay," I lied, falsely reassuring them that they didn't need to worry about me.

"We're prepared this time Rose. There are police officers everywhere. You're completely safe baby," my mom said, running her hands through my hair.

I nodded again for their benefit. "I know," I murmured dishonestly. "I'm going to go upstairs for a little while," I said and made my way to my room.

If I stared any longer at my parents I knew I would break down, and it wasn't even for me. It was for them. They had been through enough heartbreak already because of me and it killed me to know I was putting them through this whole ordeal again.

Once I reached my room, I stripped myself of my uniform and threw on my tights and a t-shirt. I heard my phone buzz again, and saw it was a message from Lissa. The text was long and emotional with her telling me she heard what had happened and asking if I was okay.

Feeling like I didn't have the strength to hold a conversation with my best friend, I repeated the lie I told my parents and texted her back, telling her I was okay.

I looked outside the window to see multiple cop cars stationed outside and exhaled deeply.

Months ago, if someone had asked me what my first reaction would be if Nathan were to ever escape, I would probably tell them that I'd imagine myself falling into a crying, heaping mess. I would picture myself screaming, panicking, and barricading myself in my room in complete fear of being taken again.

Instead, I found myself sitting on my bed and waiting, staring out the window, and feeling absolutely nothing.

There was one thing I needed right now and I don't know how long I sat there, waiting for that person to show up.

Everyone who I had spoken to so far today had asked me how I was and I told them all I was okay.

And I could feel the emotional pressure of everything that not only occurred today, but had been happening since Nathan first took me, beginning to build up.

As I sat by my window, police cars patrolling my streets, I saw the familiar truck starting to pull up. At the sight of his car, I could feel my eyes beginning to sting for the first time that day.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I was up on my feet and bounding down the stairs.

My parents, who had heard me running, abruptly stood up out of their seats.

"Kizm, what are you-" but I hadn't heard the rest.

Not even bothering with putting on my shoes, I ripped open the front door and practically jumped off the steps and into Dimitri's arms.

Sobs wracked through my body as I clung to Dimitri so tightly, I could feel my nails digging into the skin of his neck.

He didn't say a word, only held me just as tight, as I wept openly and fully in his arms.

"I'm not okay," I sobbed into his neck. "I'm not okay Dimitri."

I felt Dimitri's arm wrap itself around my waist, while the other hand made its way to my hair, soothingly running his fingers through it.

There was no way my parents hadn't followed me outside and I knew I was putting on a show for not only them, but also the police officers who had been parked outside my house since the news had broke.

But I didn't care, because as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop crying.

Dimitri didn't tell me to stop. He didn't even let me go, because he knew I needed this. I needed to let these emotions out or I truly felt like I would explode.

I don't know how long we stood there, with me crying into his shirt that had become soaked.

Eventually, my tears ran out, but I still clung to him, needing the physical support only he could provide me.

I felt him shift his body away, and a moment later I was swept off my feet. I wrapped my arms even tighter around his neck and rested my face against his shoulder, as he walked us into my home.

We passed my parents and the three exchanged a few words. What they said to one another, I had absolutely no clue.

I had become numb.

A few moments later, Dimitri walked up the stairs and stepped into my room. When he noticed I had no intentions of letting go yet, he sat himself down on my bed, with me sitting across his lap.

I pulled my face away from Dimitri's neck to look at him, really, truly look at him. I could see the love, concern, and worry lining his features, because when it came to me, he never hid his true emotions.

I traced my fingers across his eyebrows, noticing how soft they felt beneath the pad of my finger. I noticed how his lashes spread across the top of his cheeks each time he closed his eyes. As I observed closely, I saw there was a hint of gold mixed into the brown eyes I had come to know and love. His nose was sharp and he had a strong jaw that just screamed pure masculinity. I grazed my nose along his neck and inhaled, noticing like I always did, the unique scent of Dimitri's aftershave and a hint of leather filling my senses.

As I sat there, observing, touching, and feeling all there was to Dimitri, I tried to imagine a world where he was no longer in it.

And I couldn't.

I couldn't fathom a world where someone as good, and loving and pure as Dimitri no longer existed.

And for that reason alone, I knew had to let him go.

It was okay before. Nathan had been behind bars and the person who had been stalking me didn't pose as a real danger to the people who were closest to me.

But now Nathan was out and roaming the streets. I had seen him kill people before and I knew just what he was capable of when it came to me. With that knowledge, I knew I couldn't allow Dimitri to stay here any longer.  
There were police officers outside who I knew wouldn't leave without an official order from their higher ups, so it wouldn't be like I was left alone without any protection.

I was punished to live the life I had, but that didn't mean Dimitri had to, as well.

I wordlessly stood up from his lap and sat down next to him, being mindful not to touch him anymore.

Dimitri turned towards me and for the first time since he had gotten there, he spoke.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, worry and concern evident in his voice.

I stared at him and then a moment later nodded my head.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked and I shook my head no.

Dimitri nodded and exhaled deeply.

I stared down at my hands, contemplating how I should go about this.

I felt him get up and move towards the window of my room, pulling the curtains closed. The sun had already begun to set, so there was only a dim light shining through the fabric of my curtains.

I don't know how long I sat there, trying to work up the courage to tell Dimitri. I glanced up at him to see his back was turned towards me.  
That one glance was all the strength I needed.

"Do you remember the first promise you ever made me?" I asked Dimitri quietly.

He turned around from the window and stared at me, and from the look in his eyes, I could tell he remembered it clearly.

"You made me a promise," I continued. I stood up from the bed and tried to get my emotions under control. If I was going to go through with this, than I needed to be strong.

"No," Dimitri said, his voice hard. He swallowed roughly and repeated himself. "No."

"Yes," I responded. "It's over. This fairytale we had been living, it's all over."

"No, you will not do this to me. You will not do this to us," he said coming closer to me. I shook my head at him and tried to turn myself away from his emotion-filled brown eyes, but he grabbed my arm forcing me to look at him. I tried to yank my arm away, but all it did was cause him to pull me closer to his chest.

"You're hurting me," I said, looking down at the tight grip Dimitri had on my arm. "Dimitri you're hurting me."  
Dimitri let go, but didn't step away.

He pointed to his chest, right where his heart was. "You're hurting me."

I had to get him away from me, and from this life. I knew his feelings for me were honest and sincere, and for that reason alone he had to go.

I already dragged him too far into the mess that was my life. Dimitri of all people didn't deserve this.

"It's only temporary, that pain will go away," I said, trying to keep the emotions out of my voice. "But the longer you stay here with me, the more pain it'll cause you. This," I said, gesturing to my window where the cop cars were parked, "this is my reality Dimitri. It's my hell to deal with, not yours."

"It's too late now," Dimitri said, coming even closer to me.

"No, it's not," I argued.

"It's too late, now," he repeated. "When you moved in with me, when you let me touch you and kiss you, and accept the love I had to offer you, meant I had jumped into this hell right along with you. Now we're either going to survive this mess or burn in this hell together."

"I don't want you here," I whispered. I could feel the all too familiar lump beginning to form in my throat and my eyes beginning to burn from the tears I was holding back.

"You're not being honest Rose. You may be saying one thing, but your eyes and heart don't lie," Dimitri replied quietly. As I looked closely at him, I could see tears beginning to pool in his eyes as well, causing my heart to break even more.

"It's over Dimitri," I pleaded. "We haven't gotten that close yet, it won't be hard for you to move on from this. Go back to your old life, the one you had before you met me. Do whatever you want, but without me. Please."

Dimitri slightly shook his head and gave me a sad smile.

For the first time since meeting him, I saw a tear fall from Dimitri's eyes, causing me to become undone.

"Life before you and after you doesn't exist for me Roza," he whispered.

By now, I had let go of the emotions I was trying so hard to hold on to, but I needed to try to get through to him one more time.

"You're lying," I whispered.

He stepped closer to me so his chest was pressed right against my own.

"You're the who's lying." Dimitri bought his hands up and gently cupped my face. He used the pads of his thumbs to wipe away my tears, but they continued to fall.

"Look me straight in the eyes and tell me," he whispered. As more tears trailed down Dimitri's cheeks, he continued to speak. "Tell me you don't want me. Tell me you don't love me."

A sob wracked through my body and I realized I had begun to cry so hard that my body was shaking, but Dimitri still hadn't let go.

"Tell me," he pleaded through his tears, bringing his face closer to mine.

"I can't," I cried. I closed my eyes tight and shook my head. "I can't."

All of the strength I had left in my body was beginning to escape me. I leaned further into Dimitri's embrace and rested my forehead against his chest.

"If something were to happen to you, because of me…"I whispered into his shirt. "Dimitri if something were to happen to you-"

Dimitri cut off whatever else I had to say by grabbing my face and pressing his lips hard against mine. I grasped at his arms almost frantically, feeling his tears mixing with my own.

And then we stood there weeping, wrapped tightly in each other's embrace and kissing one another like our life depended on it.

A little while later, I sat on my bed as Dimitri spoke with my parents outside in the hallway. I could hear their hushed whispers and didn't even need to eavesdrop to know that they were talking about me.

After Dimitri and I finally let go of each other, he sat me back on my bed to have a talk with my parents.

I heard their voices coming closer to my door and a moment later, Dimitri came back into my room.

"So I talked with your parents," he started and sat him self down next to me. "And I convinced them to let you come over for the night."

I looked at him in surprise. I couldn't believe my parents were able to let me out of their sight while all of this was going on.

"How did you manage that?" I asked him.

"I told them that you sitting here would be harder on you emotionally. You have to understand Rose, they had approached me to be your guardian in fear of something like this happening so they trust my judgment."

"But what about them?" I asked Dimitri. I knew I would be safe with him, but I didn't want my parents sitting here without any protection.

"There will be police cars stationed outside of this place all night. I wouldn't ever leave your parents without any protection Rose," Dimitri said.

Nodding my head, I let Dimitri take a hold of my hand and take me back to his place.

 ** _Dimitri POV_**

I felt like I had failed Rose.

Hans phone had been going off all morning and when I saw him cautiously making his way over to my desk, I knew something was wrong.

When he told me Nathan had escaped, I was up and out of the Headquarters before he had a chance to finish his sentence.

I sped to the prison, demanding to speak with the people who were in charge to explain to me how an international drug lord had managed to escape from a Maximum Security prison without anyone realizing it.

Each person I spoke with told me the same thing. Nathan had been placed in solitary confinement for getting into a fight with some new guard named Ethan Moore. He managed to escape through a tunnel that led him outside the fences of the prison.

By the time the guards had come to check on him, he had been long gone.

I was seething with anger as I heard them recount all the details they had of the escape and I would have stayed there all night, ripping them a new asshole if it wasn't for the fact that I knew I needed to get to Rose.

And thank God I got there when I did, because it was clear she had been bottling up all of her emotions until the moment she saw me.

Then she tried to convince me to leave her, trying to lie to herself and me by telling me she didn't want me there anymore.

Others could believe the lies she told them, but not me.

That's when I knew I needed to convince Abe and Janine to let me take her home with me, at least for the night. I wanted her to get her mind off of everything and I knew if I didn't, she would have stayed up all night in her bedroom, worrying over everything that had happened.

As Rose settled in upstairs, I heard the doorbell ring and I opened it up to see a concerned Ivan and Tasha.

"How is she holding up?" Ivan asked once the couple had sat themselves down.

I exhaled deeply and told him the truth, "She's struggling, but she's strong. I know she'll be okay."

"How long will she be staying with you," Tasha asked me.

"I'm not sure," I told her truthfully. "As long as her parents and Rose will allow. For the time being, I feel like being here with me is the safest thing for her."

"I spoke with Hans before I came over," Ivan said a lot quieter and I could tell he didn't want Rose to overhear. "There's a national manhunt going on for him. They swept through our whole town, but he seems to have escaped out of here."

"I heard," I added regrettably. "He's definitely not working alone, I mean there had to be someone on the inside and outside who helped him."

I could feel myself becoming angry just thinking about it. I felt so stupid and played. Here I was convincing Rose that there was no real threat, while Nathan had been planning his escape without any of us even realizing it.

"I looked through all of the video footage from the prison Dimka. All I saw was him getting into a fight with a prison guard, being placed in solitary confinement, and ending up outside of the prison fence," Ivan said, running a frustrated hand across his face.

Tasha placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and I could see her lending him her strength.

Even though Rose was closest to me, everyone around us felt personally affected by Nathan's escape.

In the few meetings they had with her, the people in my life had come to care for Rose and I could tell Ivan was worried for her safety.

"We won't take anymore of your time," Tasha said. "You go make sure Rose is okay and we'll let you know if we hear anything new."

"Yeah, I'll do the same," I told her. The three of us got up and after saying our goodbyes to one another, they left.

I made my way upstairs, exhausted beyond belief and noticed the bathroom light was on.

I knocked on the door and asked, "Rose, you okay in there?"

I heard her barely hum in response before I spoke again.

"Can I come in?"

I waited a moment for her to respond and finally heard her say yes.

I opened up the door, and the first thing I saw through the cloud of steam was Rose's clothes strayed all over the bathroom floor.

Rose was sitting in the bathtub, with her knees pulled up to her chest. Though she tried to hide it, I could tell by her face that she had been crying, Her head was resting on her knees and she was looking up at me.

I didn't need see any intimate part of Rose's body to know that she was completely naked.

My heart began to thump loudly in my chest, due to the fact that Rose was sitting naked in front of me. I tried to get a grip on myself though, because right now was not the time to be feeling like this.

"Who was at the door?" she asked me quietly.

I kneeled down in front of her so my head was at the same level as her body.

"Ivan and Tasha, they came to ask about you," I told her, leaving out the details of what Ivan told me about Nathan.

"That was nice of them," she commented and I nodded my head in agreement.

Rose lifted her head off her knees, to look more closely at me. She unwrapped her right arm from her legs and slowly reached her hand out towards my face. I felt her wet palm cup my cheek and I immediately closed my eyes to the sensation of her skin against mine.

"Do you know what I realized after our conversation in my room?" she asked quietly.

I opened my eyes to look at her, and shook my head.

"I realized I never told you I love you," Rose said.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise. I thought back to the first time I had confessed my love to her in the darkness of her bedroom. I remembered stopping her from doing the same. I knew Rose thought I was the strong one in the relationship, but she was wrong. When it came to her, I was nothing but weak.

I knew at that moment if she had told me she loved me too, then no being on earth would have stopped me from taking her back home with me.

Rose pulled me away from my thoughts by grazing her nails against the stubble on my cheek.

"You woke up something inside of me that I didn't know could exist after everything I had been through. You saved me from myself and from the idea that I planted in my head that I could never get close to another man again, that I could never be worthy of love again."

I reached out my own hand to cup Rose's face, and felt her cheeks wet- either from the water of the tub or her tears, I wasn't sure.

"You bought me back to life Dimitri and for that alone I love you," she admitted tearfully.

 _She loves me. My Roza loves me._

Her confession caused my heart to ache.

"I love you," she said quietly. Rose closed her eyes and sighed in content. "I love you," she repeated.

I moved forward and pressed my lips against hers, needing more than anything to feel her against me. She responded back just as enthusiastically, moving her hands into my hair to hold me in place, but I wasn't going anywhere.

Feeling the unfortunate need to breath, I forced myself to pull away from Rose.

She smiled softly in my direction, seeming emotionally better than she had all day.

Rose moved her arm to the edge of the bathroom counter, and I pulled my hands away and leaned back on my heels to give her the room she needed.

She grabbed her cellphone and looked at it quickly, before placing it back down.

"It's my birthday," she murmured quietly, smiling at me.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Throughout all of the things that had happened today, I completely forgot the fact that it was her birthday.

I immediately thought back to one of our practice sessions we had this past week.

 _"You're birthday is coming up in a few days," I commented as I watched Rose stretch out her muscles. She glanced up at me, but didn't say anything. "Is there anything in mind that you wanted?"_

 _She seemed to think about this and a moment later shook her head._

 _"Honestly, not really," she said._

 _"Is there anything special you wanted to do?" I asked her._

 _I remembered how special Rose had made me feel on my birthday and I wanted to do even more for her._

 _"My parents are probably going to want to have a big dinner, but I know I want to spend the night with you," she told me quietly, giving me a meaningful look._

 _I swallowed roughly as Rose turned away to complete the workout I told her to do. She didn't say anymore on the topic and neither did I._

"Happy birthday," I told her, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

Rose smiled softly at me and closed her eyes. She rested her chin on her knees once again, and for a while the both of us were silent.

"You asked me what I wanted," she spoke quietly and then opened her eyes once again to look at me. Rose was looking so intensely at me, that I felt as if she was staring into my soul.

I swallowed and nodded my head, wordlessly telling her to continue.

She sighed deeply and unplugged the drain of the tub.

"I want to get out," she said suddenly and I could feel my heart begin to beat faster.

I had seen Rose naked before, but this time everything seemed different.

I nodded my head again and stood up, grabbing the towel off of the rack. I opened it up for Rose and she stood up, her tan and curvaceous body dripping wet. I forced myself to stare at her face as she grasped the towel in her hands and wrapped herself up.

My tense muscles relaxed a bit once I saw that she had covered herself back up, but then she spoke again.

"You asked me what I wanted," Rose repeated. She raised her hands and cupped my cheeks. Her hands were so soft and I felt myself leaning into her touch. Then, she moved forward and her lips pressed gently against mine. I had to force myself not to pull her deeper into the kiss and allowed her to have control of it instead.

I was burning with desire for the girl in front of me and the ache that I felt in my heart at her confession of love was rapidly spreading to each part of my body.

Everything we had done together, each intimate encounter we had had so far was leading up to this very moment.

Rose pulled away from me, but still kept a hold of my face.

"Take me to bed Dimitri," she whispered quietly, her chocolate colored eyes shining with love and arousal.

I felt myself nodding without even thinking of what it was that she had asked. I leaned down slightly to put one arm underneath her legs and picked her up in my arms for the second time that day.

Then I did exactly what she wanted me to do.

I took her to bed.


	24. Chapter 24

**So here is the long awaited moment. This chapter was so difficult to write, because it wasn't a typical first time and I knew how important it was for Rose to finally go all the way after everything she had been through. I also learnt while working on this chapter that I absolutely suck at writing fully detailed sex scenes. I feel like I write shorter lemony chapters better than full on smut lol**

 **I tweaked this chapter so much and I'm still not 100% happy with it, but I don't think I ever will be. I was even thinking of not even writing this part out and leaving it to the imagination, but I felt as if that would've been cruel since I've written such detailed sexual encounters between Romitri already.**

 **Always I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

Imagine living a life where you wake up every morning hating the skin you're in.

Picture looking in the mirror every day and having your scars be a painful reminder of the worst ordeal you had ever gone through, and knowing that that reminder will never go away.

Imagine coming to terms with the fact that the touch from another human being will never be a source of comfort for you.

You think you are completely ruined for any potential love.

Now, imagine meeting someone that chooses to love you despite seeing you at your absolute worst and whole heartedly sticking with you through every bad moment you face.

Picture having that individual worship your body as if you were the last female on earth, as if they were in awe of you.

You've come to realize that because of this person, you are confident and brave again.

That you are loved.

That's how I felt once I dropped my towel and stood in front of Dimitri, ready to give myself to him completely and fully.

I thought I would be a lot more nervous when the time finally came for us to go all the way, but if anything, all I felt was excitement and desire.

If someone had asked me months ago if I could ever imagine myself having sex again, I would laugh in their face and tell them never.

But I realized it wasn't the act itself that mattered, it was the person who you were with that was important.  
And what a more fitting place to take this final step, then in the bedroom where our relationship first blossomed and turned into love.

Dimitri walked closer to me so his clothed chest pressed up against my naked one. I sighed in pleasure as the softness of his shirt rubbed against my sensitive nipples and I knew there was no way he couldn't feel how much he was affecting my body.

Dimitri bought his rough hands up and cupped my face gently, looking straight into my eyes.

"This is what you want?" he asked me in complete seriousness.

"Yes," I told him. "I want you to make love to me."

I saw Dimitri's jaw clench before he dropped his head even lower and pressed a deep and powerful kiss on my lips.

His tongue grazed the seam of my lips and I immediately opened up, moaning at the feel of his tongue brushing against my own.

I ran my hands up and down Dimitri's chest, realizing he was fully clothed while I was not.

I reluctantly pulled away from his mouth and gripped the front of his shirt in my hand. I began to walk us backwards until I felt his bed hit the back of my legs. Then I got on to it and kneeled in front of him.

"Can I take your clothes off for you?" I asked him, as my hands rested on the bottom of his shirt. Dimitri swallowed roughly before nodding his head, allowing me to take lead of the situation.

I quickly rid him of his shirt and marveled, as I always did, at the sight of Dimitri's bare chest.  
I dragged my hands up his abs, to his pecs and ran my finger through his chest hair, tugging at it slightly as I went.

"I love this," I whispered, looking up at him.

"You do?"

"Hmm," I hummed in response. "It makes you seem more manly than you already are. And I love when it brushes against my nipples."

Dimitri's arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me flush against his chest.

"Like that, baby?" he asked, his accent coming out thick.

"Yes," I sighed in content. "Just like that."

I kissed Dimitri on his neck before dragging my tongue along the length of his neck. I heard him groan quietly and the sound encouraged me to explore him further with my tongue.

I put a little bit of distance between us and lowered my mouth, trailing my tongue along the length of the scar on his chest, before kissing it all the way back up.

Once I gave his scar enough attention, I moved my mouth lower and circled my tongue around his left nipple.

Dimitri's hands gripped my waist tightly, keeping me in place.

"Your mouth always feel good when you do this to me," I told him, so close to his nipple that my breath hit it each time I spoke. "Does it feel good for you, too?"

"Yes, god yes," he responded back gruffly and I could hear the clear desire in his voice.

I circled my tongue around his nipple once again, before enclosing it in my mouth and gently tugging on it with my teeth.

Dimitri hissed in response and tightened his hold on me to the point where I knew there would be a bruise there in the morning, but I didn't mind in the slightest.

I let go of his nipple and kissed my way across his chest before giving the right one the same attention with my mouth.

Sighs of pleasure I could never imagine hearing left Dimitri's mouth as I licked and bit my way across his torso.

I sat myself down so I was closer to his waist and skimmed my hands across the skin of his hips. I leaned forward again and licked the scar he had gotten in his childhood with Ivan before pulling back once again. I looked at the part of Dimitri that was uncovered to admire the love bites I had left all over his skin.

My hands came to rest on his belt and for the first time that night, my nerves kicked in a bit and I could feel my hands shake as I undid his buckle.

Dimitri quickly covered my hands with his own, causing me to look back up at him.

He was giving me a look of such love and patience, that I instantly relaxed.

With his hands still over mine, I unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them down his long muscular legs before Dimitri chucked them off of his feet.

Now, he stood in front of me, his hard and prominent erection straining against the fabric of his boxers, begging to be released.

I cupped him through the fabric, eliciting a groan of pleasure from Dimitri as I did. I could feel him growing underneath my palm the more I rubbed him. I bought both of my hands up to Dimitri's waist and pulled his boxers off his hips until they pooled at his feet.

Just like the first time I had ever seen Dimitri naked, I pondered over how he would ever be able to fit inside of me. I wrapped my right hand over him, feeling him hot and pulsating against my skin. I couldn't even wrap my hand completely around his thickness, so the thought of him entering me both worried and excited me.

Dimitri picked up on the slight apprehension that played across my features, so he cupped my face in his hand and bought my attention back to him.

"It'll fit Roza, you'll feel nothing but pleasure from me," he said. I gave him a small smile in response before dropping a kiss onto the head of his cock.

"Fuck," Dimitri hissed, before I pulled myself completely away from him and moved back until my head rested against Dimitri's pillow.

As Dimitri came to join me on the bed, I saw him pause for a moment, before looking at me with surprised guilt.

"Rose, I'm not prepared. I don't have anything on me," he said, beginning to pull himself away from me, but I wasn't having it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kept him in place.

"I don't care. I want to feel all of you, completely bare, for our first time together." Slightly blushing, I continued in a quieter tone. "I want you to finish inside of me."

By now, I was panting and so was Dimitri. He was looking at me in slight surprise, searching my eyes to see if I serious.

"Are you sure Rose?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yes, we can go to the drug store tomorrow morning if we need to, but this is what I want," I reassured him. If I had to wake up at the ass crack of dawn just to get a morning after pill, then I would. I had already told myself that even if Dimitri had protection, I still would have asked him to do this and judging by the light growl that escaped him, I knew he wanted this, too.

Now it was Dimitri's turn to worship my body.

Dimitri kissed his way down my neck, leaving his mark as he went.

He lifted one hand to run lightly over my breasts, his fingers gently brushing against my nipples, causing them to harden even more from his touch.

My hands automatically flew to his broad shoulders, gripping him tightly as he teased my body relentlessly.

Dimitri bought his other hand up and cupped both of my heavy breasts in his palms as he teased my nipples with his thumbs.

"Dimitri," I panted, pushing my chest further into his hold.

Just when I thought I would explode from the teasing, his mouth came down and he gently took my nipple between his teeth.

I threw my head back in pleasure once I felt his tongue circle around the tight bud before sucking it into his mouth.

My hands moved away from his shoulders to cradle his head to my chest, wordlessly begging him to keep his mouth where it was.

I could feel my essence running down my slit and coating the inside of my thighs as Dimitri flicked his tongue over the dusty bud.

He licked, nipped, and sucked my nipple until I could a delicious type of soreness, before moving his mouth to my left nipple and giving it the same treatment.

When he had had his fill of my breasts, he moved his mouth up once again.

Just as I had done, he kissed me on the burn marks marring my clavicle.

Dimitri skimmed his nose down the middle of my chest, pausing to kiss the mark in between my breasts. He pecked his way down to the left side of my body, kissing me where my puncture wound was. He slowly and thoroughly kissed his way to the scar beneath my right breast, licking the entire length of it.

"Dimitri, that feels so good," I panted, looking down to see Dimitri moving his mouth lower and closer to my core. He paused at my hips, lovingly giving his attention to the last of my scars, before his mouth skimmed down and inhaled the scent of my arousal.

Dimitri lowered his body away from mine so he was directly between my legs.

He ran his calloused hands up my shins and circled his fingers around my thighs, practically covering them.

Dimitri's brown eyes, darkened by lust, met mine as he bent his head to the inside of my legs, and licked up the wetness that had seeped out of me.

"Dimitri please," I moaned as my hips came off the mattress at the feel of Dimitri's tongue so close to my core.

"What do you need Roza, tell me," he said, nipping the skin inside of my thighs.

"Your mouth," I panted. "I need your mouth."

Dimitri gripped my hips tightly, stopping me from writhing on the bed.

"Where do you need my mouth?" he asked so close to my dripping core, that I could feel his breath hit the sensitive skin.

"I want your mouth on my pussy," I begged, my skin burning in a mixture of arousal and my admission.

Dimitri must have been satisfied by my answer, because not even a moment later, I felt his mouth connect to my core.

"Fuck," I moaned, pushing my pussy further into Dimitri's awaiting mouth.

I felt Dimitri's finger spreading my lips before slowly pushing its way inside of me His finger twisted up to rub against that rough patch inside of me.

"More, more," I moaned and Dimitri knew exactly what it was that I needed because, he inserted another finger, curling it in time with his tongue.

I couldn't keep my eyes open even if I wanted to, feeling an overwhelming amount of pleasure coursing through my body from just the feel of his mouth and fingers.

"Don't stop," I begged and he didn't.

I could feel the coil in the pit of my stomach tightening as Dimitri sped up the movement of his fingers and sucked my clit into his mouth.

Within seconds, that coiled snapped and I clamped down hard on Dimitri's fingers, my cunt pulsating as Dimitri licked every drop of my arousal up.

I felt his fingers slow down before he pulled them and himself away from my body.

I felt Dimitri move his body up, bringing his fingers slick with my arousal towards my face.

"Taste yourself," he said and I closed my mouth around his fingers, savoring what he had done to me. When I had licked his fingers clean, he removed them from my mouth before kissing me deeply, letting me further taste myself on his tongue.

The need to breath caused us to pull away from one another.

Dimitri held his full weight off of me by holding himself up on his hands.

"Are you sure this is what you want Roza," he asked me. I knew his questions lied solely in his concern for me

"I'm positive Dimitri, I want this. I want you."

I pulled him closer to me, causing him to drop down onto his forearms. As he did, his manhood brushed against my slick core, causing us both to moan.

I reached my hands into Dimitri's hair and bought his face closer to mine.

"I don't know what's going to happen to us tomorrow Dimitri. I want you to replace all my bad memories with good ones," I whispered to him as we both continued to stare at each other.

By this point, I had completely pulled Dimitri on top of me so there was barely an inch of space between our bodies.

"I just wish…I wish I were whole," I admitted. I wanted nothing more for Dimitri to have been the first man to see me naked, to have been the first one to touch me, and make love to me. "I wish I wasn't scarred," I told him. It went beyond the marks that were left on my skin. I was referring to my entire being. I opened my mouth again, but Dimitri cut off any words I could have said with a hard and bruising kiss.

"Don't," he pleaded, "Don't you dare say that. You aren't half of what you could've been, because of what happened to you Rose. You are twice as more in my eyes, because you survived."

Dimitri moved himself slightly away to support his body on his hand. With the other, he cupped my cheek and gently ran his the thumb across the softness of my skin.

"You are so beautiful to me Roza. That day you moved in with me, when you came to my job with your parents and turned around to say hi to me, I felt as if you had stopped my heart. Do you know that Rose? From the very beginning, you've always been so beautiful to me," Dimitri said, pouring out his love for me.

I bought his face back down to mine and kissed him slowly and deeply. There was nothing else left to say between the two of us. I was ready for this and so was he.

I could feel Dimitri's hardness pressed against my slick folds.

"You ready Roza," Dimitri asked me and I immediately nodded my head.

Dimitri pulled himself away and instead of entering me as I thought he would, he wrapped his strong arm around my waist and flipped us over so I was on top.

The sudden change in positions shocked me and I supported myself by pressing my hands against Dimitri's abs.

"You're in control of this Roza," Dimitri said as his hands went to my waist. He could feel how tense I had become underneath the palms of his hands so he whispered, "Relax baby."

Encouraged by Dimitri's touch and words of reassurance, I lifted myself up slightly and grabbed a hold of Dimitri's cock. At the feel of my skin against his, I heard him quietly groan. I rubbed the head of his erection between my folds, gasping in pleasure each time he brushed against my clit.  
Unable to deal with any more foreplay, I aligned Dimitri against my entrance and slowly began to lower my body on to him, inch by inch.

I couldn't take my eyes off our union. It was something that would forever be etched into my mind.

Dimitri was only half way in when I felt as if he was stretching me beyond anything I had ever experienced in my life.

"That's it Roza," Dimitri said, and I could hear the strain in his voice.

Dimitri bought his thumb towards my lips and I instinctively enveloped it into my mouth. Only allowing me to suck on it briefly, Dimitri took his thumb out of my mouth and bought it down in between us to brush against my clit.

"Oh Dimitri," I moaned as the pleasure instantly made me clench around him.

"Guide me in Roza," he groaned and I moved myself lower until Dimitri's cock was fully sheathed inside of me.

A moan of pleasure escaped the both of us to we became joined together for the first time.

I leaned forward slightly, bracing my hands on Dimitri's pecs and lowered myself again, feeling him hit that spot deep within me.

"Fuck," I gasped, shocked at the pleasure I was receiving. "So good, I didn't think it could feel this good," I whispered in ecstasy, to my self or to Dimitri, I wasn't sure.

I set a rhythm bouncing up and down as Dimitri's cock persistently pounded against my g-spot.

Dimitri hand's moved away from my hips to travel lower and grip my ass, before thrusting his hips up at the same time I lowered mine.

"Yes," I moan and pressed my body against Dimitri's. The feel his chest rubbing against my sensitive nipples caused me to gasp. Dimitri immediately took advantage by attaching his mouth to my own, probing my mouth with his tongue just like his cock did to my pussy.

As I pulled away, Dimitri followed until he was sitting upright with my arm wrapped around his neck. I used my other hand to support me and give me leverage to grind myself against his cock.

This new position felt even better, especially considering Dimitri and I were chest to chest, staring into each other's eyes as I rolled my hips in time with Dimitri's thrusts.

It was like sensory overload- there was so much I was feeling at once. The rough patch of hair above his manhood brushing against my clit each time my hips connected with his, Dimitri's hard thrusts hitting against that pleasurable spot deep within me, his rough hands roaming the slick skin of my body, and his eyes looking deeply into mine as he fucked me.

I felt tightness in my lower stomach and knew I was close. I threw my head back, unable to keep my eyes open any longer even though I wanted to, god did I want to.  
"Let go Roza," Dimitri said gruffly as he bucked his hips up at a rougher speed. "Cum on my cock. Do it for me baby."

And that's all the encouragement I needed before I buried my face into Dimitri's neck and clenched my core tightly around Dimitri's length, pulsing and moaning as the orgasm rippled the strength out of my body.

I noticed I stopped moving and so had he. The hands that had been pressed against my back were now cupping my face.

He looked concerned and it wasn't until a moment later that I realized I was crying.

"Are you okay," he asked worried and I quickly nodded my head.

"Yes," I said truthfully, smiling tearfully at him. "That felt so good and I'm just so happy Dimitri."

He seemed to take my words as the truth but I could still see the hint of concern.

I glanced down between us to see that he was still fully sheathed inside of me. I tighten my core around his hard cock, causing him to quietly groan.

"I want to finish this between us," I whispered to him, clenching myself around him again. "I want you to cum inside of me."

That's all the motivation Dimitri needed before he switched our positions so he was once again on top.

Dimitri spread his palms out, dragging them from my hips, down my thighs, before hooking them beneath my knees and pushing them closer to the bed.

This position opened me up completely to Dimitri and his pleasure.

"You think you have one more left in you Roza," Dimitri asked seductively.

"For you, definitely," I said to Dimitri.

Dimitri set a steady pace, making sure every thrust was long before pulling almost all the way out and pushing back in.

Dimitri dropped down onto his forearms, burying his face in the side of my neck.

I could feel his mouth kissing and biting my skin as his pace increased.

I gasped at the heightened sensitivity I felt from his tongue on my skin, his chest against my mine, and his thick cock fucking me hard and deep.

I gripped him tightly and felt my nails digging into his sweat covered back, trying to have something to hold on to.

For the third time in such a short period, I could feel the swirling whirlpool of sexual pleasure tightening in my lower stomach, telling me how close I was.

"Dimitri," I moaned loudly, warning him of my building orgasm.

Dimitri gripped my chin as he continued to move inside of me.

"You're going to look at me. This time when you cum, I want you to look at me," he told me and all I could do was nod, any words I could have said stuck in my throat at the overwhelming amount of pleasure my body was receiving.

Dimitri pulled away, moving to hold himself up on his hands and expanding the distance between us a bit in order to create a point of leverage. He began to quickly thrust his full length in and out of me at brutal speed. The clap of our skin slapping together and our moans and sighs of pleasure being the only sounds heard in the room.

My insides began to slowly contract around his cock, my stomach getting tighter by the second as the pleasure mounted.

"Fuck Dimitri, fuck," I practically screamed, as the knot of pleasure between my legs burst open, stronger and harder than I'd ever felt, making me cum for the third time that night.

And Dimitri came right along with me, whispering my name over and over like a prayer, as his cock pulsated inside of my pussy, spilling his seed deep within me.

My vision blurred and became starry as my limbs lost practically all sense of strength.

Dimitri fell still on top of me, burying his face into my neck. Our bodies were slick with sweat, but we didn't care, as we held onto each other closely and tightly.

I ran my fingers through the damp hair at his neck while Dimitri peppered small and lazy kisses along the skin of my neck. We stayed like that for a long while, trying to catch our breath as the last tremors of pleasure left our bodies.

Dimitri moved away from my neck and pressed his lips against my own, kissing me slowly and gently.

He pulled away slightly so he was still able to look at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked me, and I could hear the concern and love in his voice.

I nodded and moved up slightly to peck him once again on his lips.

For the second time since we fell into bed together, I could feel tears of happiness running down my cheeks.

"I'm more than okay," I said to him once I pulled away. Dimitri kissed away each tear that escaped me, causing me to smile softly in his direction. "I couldn't imagine anything better. Thank you for taking such good care of me," I told him truthfully.

Dimitri had known exactly what I needed throughout our lovemaking.

He allowed me to be in control in the beginning, letting me guide our movements to my liking for our first time together.

When I had relinquished the control over to him, he knew I needed the switch from slow and gentle to something much more primal.

He had been absolutely amazing.

Dimitri finally rolled us over to our sides, but stayed inside of me, keeping us connected. For a long while, we were silent as our eyes roamed across each other's features, taking in each and every single detail. My nails were gently running through the stubble on Dimitri's cheeks as he ran his hand continuously through my hair.

"Roza," he said quietly, breaking the silence in the room. "I have never in my life made love to another woman. Never. Not until what we just did together, " he said, looking at me in slight surprise, as if he was shocked at his own revelation.

"So it was a first time making love for the both of us?" I asked him.

"Yeah, it was," he said, coming to the same conclusion I had.

"I love you," I responded to his statement.

Dimitri brushed a kiss across my forehead, then my cheeks, before pressing his lips lightly against my own.

"I love you, too Roza." Dimitri told me once he pulled away. "I won't let anything happen to you. I love you."

I could feel the exhaustion of the day causing my eyes to droop. I wanted nothing more than to stay awake all night, telling Dimitri how much I loved him, but I knew that was impossible.

Dimitri could see me struggling to stay awake so he reached down for the blanket and pulled it up to cover our bodies.

"Sleep now Roza, I'll be right here when you wake up," Dimitri promised me and that was all I needed to close my eyes.

I didn't know what tomorrow would bring us.

All I knew was that I never wanted this moment to end.


	25. Chapter 25

**So here is the next chapter. I'm sorry it took so long to update. I had so much homework and just didn't have time to focus on the story. Also, I got two new books that I literally could not put down. They are both from author Ruth Ware. One is called 'In a Dark Dark Wood' and the other is called, 'The Woman in Cabin 10.' They were so suspenseful that I literally stayed up until 9 a.m. the other day because I couldn't stop reading.**

 **This chapter is an emotional rollercoaster lol it is going to jump from one thing to the other so this is a small warning. It will also be in 3rd POV because I needed to get multiple character's POV in this chapter. I'm hoping to finish this story soon so I can focus my attention on She-Wolf.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

The next few days had been a sexual exploration for Rose and Dimitri.

They had woken up early the morning after their first time together to run to the drug store. While there, Dimitri bought a supply of what he thought was enough condoms, but a few days with Rose was proving that he needed more soon enough.

The couple was insatiable, touching, kissing, and groping one another the moment they saw each other. It was as if they couldn't not touch each other when they were in the same room.

It was a bit messed up if you really thought about it. Everyone close to them, including the two were on edge due to the escape of Nathan, so they could have spent their time more wisely.

But Rose had wasted enough of her time on Nathan and she wasn't going to spend any more precious time worrying over the blond monster when there was a sexier and far more caring Russian to focus her attention on.

As usual, Rose's homework and Dimitri's western were long forgotten as the two scrambled to get closer to one another.

Dimitri reached for his discarded denims that were lying on the floor along with the rest of their clothes. He took out a condom and quickly ripped the packaging, before rolling it onto his length.

"Please," Rose panted, writhing against the leather of the couch.

"Get up," Dimitri said gruffly as he sat himself down, gripping the shaft of his cock tightly.

Rose nodded wordlessly and stood to straddle Dimitri's hips, but he halted her movements by grabbing a hold of her full hips and turning her around so her back was to him.

"You're going to ride me like this," Dimitri spoke, trailing his hand down Rose's slick back before grabbing a hold of her ass cheeks in both hands.

Rose looked between them, while grabbing a hold of Dimitri's manhood, teasing the head of his erection between her slick folds. Unable to tease either of them further, she lowered herself until Dimitri was completely sheathed inside of her.

"Yes," she moaned, bracing her hands on Dimitri's muscular thighs to move herself on his cock.

Dimitri's hands steadied Rose's hips and gripped them tight, causing her to throw a sultry look over her shoulder at him.

"I've seen you dance baby, I want you to bounce your ass like that on my cock," Dimitri said, giving her a look so intense, she felt her essence escaping from their joined bodies and coating the inside of her thighs.

Rose moved her hands to her own knees and did exactly what Dimitri asked her-she bounced her ass on his cock.

Rose closed her eyes and threw her head back, her long dark hair spilling across Dimitri's stomach. She thought back to the club all those days and nights ago, and imagined Enrique Iglesias's 'Push' playing inside her head. Similar to that night, she began to move her ass against Dimitri's hips, feeling his cock hitting that spot within her, making her whimper out his name over and over again.

She felt a light swat against her right cheek, causing her to suddenly clench around Dimitri. The slap surprised her, but it hadn't hurt. Instead, it added to the dirtiness that surrounded their current rough lovemaking.

"Do it again," she told him, continuing to bounce up and down on Dimitri's manhood.

He immediately obeyed, swatting her soft flesh and feeling her core clench around him. He did it 5 more times, alternating between each cheek, but being mindful not to make it hurt.

Dimitri felt pressure of an impending orgasm building and quickly took Rose off his lap and pushed her to lie back against the couch.

Dimitri hovered over the dark headed beauty, seeing her full breasts heaving and he pushed forward; sheathing his hard length into her tight, slick heat.

"Fuck," Rose gasped, arching her back and pushing her chest closer to Dimitri's.

He lowered his head and took an aching bud into his mouth, moving his hips roughly against Rose's.

"Please Dimitri, I'm so close," Rose moaned, digging her nails into Dimitri's shoulders. He lifted his mouth off her breast and bought his thumb down to her bundle of nerves.

One touch was all Rose needed as she felt her core clench tightly around Dimitri's cock, cumming so hard she saw stars.  
Her own orgasm triggered Dimitri's and he quietly groaned on top of her, emptying himself into the condom.

Dimitri dropped down and buried his face into Rose's neck, peppering lazy kisses along her sweat-covered skin.

She moved her hands up to his forehead, moving the damp hair away from his face.

"Will it ever stop?" she asked quietly as her breathing finally started to come back to normal.

"Will what stop?" he asked, moving his head enough to be able to look at Rose in the eyes.

"Wanting you this much," she breathed out, as her eyes took in his handsome face.

"Never," Dimitri said moving his lips towards Rose's for a searing kiss. "Never."

The two eventually untangled their limbs and got up. It was the weekend once again, and Rose's parents were coming over for dinner to celebrate her birthday 3 days late.

They had all decided that for the time being, it was best for her to stay at Dimitri's house, because they knew the overprotective man would have refused to leave Rose's side either way.

Rose dressed herself in a tight, black sweater dress that molded her curvy body perfectly. Dimitri dressed in a pair of dark jeans and black button-up shirt. They didn't realize their outfits coordinated until they both stepped into the upstairs hallway.

"You look handsome," Rose commented, putting her arms around Dimitri's shoulders.

He looked her figure over noticing how the dress looked like it was painted on her.

"You look so beautiful Roza," running his fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes due to the sensation and they both stood in a peaceful embrace until they heard the doorbell ring.

Rose and Dimitri prepared dinner together. Rose felt years beyond her age, as she welcomed her parents into the house she was currently sharing with her boyfriend.

"You look pretty Kizm," Abe commented, following the pair into the kitchen.

"Thanks Baba," Rose said, pecking her father quickly on his cheek.

Dimitri had already set the food on the table and the four sat down.

"Everything looks delicious," Janine said looking over the display.

Rose and Dimitri shot a look relief to one another before thanking them.

They made small talk over dinner, discussing everything from Rose's classes to the weather. Overall, it was nice and pleasant.

"We got you a little gift sweetie," Janine said, pulling a small box from her coat pocket.

"You guys didn't need to get me anything," Rose said truthfully.

"This is something really special though Kizm. Happy Birthday," Abe said watching as Rose opened up the small jewelry box. Inside was a white gold chain, and a blue and white nazar hanging off of it. A nazar was symbolic in Turkey. Many Muslim countries believed strongly in the evil eye, which could cause misfortune or grave injury upon a person. This symbol was created to protect people against "evil eyes."

"It's beautiful," Rose said, taking the necklace out and putting it around her neck.

"It used to be your grandmother's," Abe said and Rose loved it even more. Not only did it represent a part of her culture, but it was also something that had been passed down from her grandma.

"I love it," Rose said truthfully, running her finger over the pendant that lay against her collarbone.

"We're glad you do," Janine said.

"So Belikov, I hate to ruin the mood of this beautiful birthday dinner, but how is the investigation going? Any idea where that scum might be?" Abe asked.

Dimitri sighed in regret and shook his head.

"No, the whole town has been swept through and he is nowhere to be found," Dimitri told them.

"Is there any way he can be found? I mean there has to be a way, right," Janine said, tugging at her short, red hair.

"What we need to find is one person, that's it. One person to find out how they pulled this off," Dimitri explained to the group.

"But how would that help? Do you think that Nathan is keeping in contact with whoever it is that helped him," Rose asked, seeming doubtful that Nathan would be that stupid when it came to staying in hiding.

"Not necessarily, unless the person who helped him had big enough news to tell him. At least we could keep an eye on that person in case they do come in contact with one another," Dimitri explained further.

Rose and the rest of the group nodded, understanding what Dimitri meant.

"That makes sense, but how do we find this person?" Asked Janine.

"Someone always screws up, we just wait for that mistake to happen," replied Dimitri and nothing more was said on the topic.

The next day, Rose and Dimitri spent Sunday morning cuddled with each other on the couch. Rose had her head rested against Dimitri's chest, feeling his heart beating beneath her ear.  
Dimitri was running his fingers through her hair, feeling the silkiness fall against his fingers like a waterfall.

Rose felt Dimitri fidget a bit, and bought her attention up to his face. He seemed lost in thought, and more than that, Dimitri looked nervous.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, pulling herself slightly away from Dimitri.

He looked at her slightly surprised and shook his head. He hadn't realized his movements had caught her attention, but it was impossible for him to ever hide anything from Rose.

"I got you something, for your birthday," he said, stumbling over his words a bit. Rose sat completely up. This nervous behavior was so unlike Dimitri that she wondered what the gift could be to cause this reaction.

"You know you didn't have to get me anything Comrade," she said and meant it completely. Dimitri had done enough for her, the last thing she needed from him was a gift.

"I wanted to," he countered back. "I was going to give it to you last night, but lost my nerve," he admitted.

Dimitri reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box and Rose's eyes immediately widened in surprise.

"Don't freak out, it's not that," Dimitri said quickly and Rose breathed a sigh of relief. It's not that she didn't love Dimitri, because she did and Rose knew there was no one on Earth she could ever want other than him. But she was way too young to be engaged.

Dimitri handed the box over to Rose and she opened it slowly, feeling just as nervous as Dimitri. Inside was a thin, gold band. Rose picked it up and noticed there was a Russian engraving on the inside of it.

Rose looked at Dimitri questioningly and he immediately understood.

"It's in Cyrillic and it says Roza and Comrade," Dimitri told her, blushing slightly. "It's a promise ring. I know we haven't known each other long and the way we met wasn't conventional. I also know that you're young and marriage is far from your mind right now. I'm not going to ask you to marry me yet, but I want you to know this is it for me, you're it for me. This," Dimitri said, pointing towards the ring, "symbolizes my love for you. My promise that I will love and honor you until my last breath," Dimitri said, displaying his emotions clearly on his face.

Rose felt herself choke up and her vision blur as she took in Dimitri's sentimental words.

"That is if you'll have me," Dimitri added once he noticed Rose hadn't said anything yet.

Rose nodded her head and felt a tear escape her.

"Yes," she whispered and smiled tearfully in Dimitri's direction. She gave the ring back to Dimitri. "Will you put it on me?"

A wide smile broke out on Dimitri's face as he took the ring from Rose. She presented her left hand to Dimitri, and he slid the band onto her ring finger. Dimitri leaned down a placed a kiss where the ring was before pulling Rose into his arms and kissing her slowly and deeply.

"I love it, it's perfect," Rose said once they pulled away from each other. The gold went nicely with her skin tone and the ring fit perfectly. "I love you Dimitri," Rose said sweetly and honestly.

"I love you, too Roza," Dimitri replied, kissing Rose once again.

"When did you get it," Rose asked, hugging her self close to Dimitri's body once again.

Dimitri cradled his girl against him, keeping a strong arm wrapped around her frame and twirling the ends of her hair around his finger.

"Last week," Dimitri told her. "I left work a bit early. Ivan and Adrian helped me pick it out."

"That's so nice of them," Rose said. Man, she would have loved to be a fly on the wall at that jewelry store. There was no funnier trio in her eyes than Dimitri, Adrian, and Ivan. They didn't even try to be funny, but their personalities were so different, that one couldn't help but laugh when the three were together.

As Rose looked at the band, another couple came to mind.

"So did Ivan and Tasha make up?" Rose asked.

She felt Dimitri's chest vibrate as he hummed in response, causing her to look up at him.

"Yeah they did, he said it was all just a misunderstanding and he had overreacted," Dimitri said to her, relaying what Ivan had told him.

"That's good," Rose commented. "They both seemed really affected by the fight."

As they both cuddled together, Rose thought that she wanted to keep hearing Dimitri talk.

"How did you all become friends? You and Ivan aren't that alike and Adrian is even more different than you," Rose said.

"Are you and Vaslissa alike?" Dimitri asked jokingly.

Rose thought about it and shook her head.

"No we definitely are not," Rose said.

Dimitri chuckled and responded, "You're right though, we are different from each other." Dimitri settled back more comfortably on the coach, pulling Rose with him. "As for your question, I met Ivan back when I was 14. He was way more outgoing than I was, while I was the quiet kid who barely spoke to anyone. One day, we got paired up as partners for a school project and instantly connected. He came from a very influential family so his parents were never around. Ivan spent almost everyday at my house after that. He liked to talk and I liked to listen," Dimitri said, smiling at the memory of a teenage version of himself and Ivan.

"So much like our relationship," Rose said jokingly, causing Dimitri to chuckle. He leaned down and pecked her on the nose. "So how about you and Adrian?"

"I didn't meet Adrian until I moved here. Actually his father and my father are brothers," Dimitri said quietly, causing Rose to look back up at him. His eyebrows were set low above his eyes and Rose knew it was had to be from the thought of his father.

"Is his dad also…" Rose trailed off, not knowing how to word what she wanted to say, but Dimitri knew.

"No he wasn't physically abusive," Dimitri said, shaking his head. "It's worse for Adrian though. My father left us alone after I kicked him out, but Adrian's dad still emotionally abuses him. And I only had my father to worry about. My relationship with my mom, sisters and grandmother is amazing. Adrian had none of that, though."

Rose frowned deeply at the thought of Adrian growing up in a home like that. It also surprised her how the man was able to be so positive in his everyday life despite dealing with what he did.

"When he found out he had cousin move into the same state he did, he immediately clung to me. He was still in high school, but that didn't stop him from following me around everywhere I went," Dimitri continued.

"He probably saw you as someone to look up to, since he didn't have that at home. I mean you guys even have the same job Comrade," Rose pointed out. Dimitri hadn't even thought of it like that, but it made sense to him once Rose said it.

"I didn't even think of that," Dimitri said.

"So how does Tasha fit into all of this? I know I have no room to talk considering," Rose said, gesturing between her and Dimitri. "But she seems a bit older than you guys."

"Yeah she is," Dimitri said. "Ivan and I met her when we were 17 at a bar."

"Ooo a bar? Comrade I didn't know you were a bad boy," Rose chuckled, poking Dimitri in the stomach.

"Hush," Dimitri joked. "Anyways, she was there alone and some drunk guys started harassing her, so Ivan and I approached her pretending to be her friends."

"You're such a good guy Dimitri," Rose said softly as she pictured a young Dimitri protecting a helpless girl.

"It was nothing," he said, seeming a bit embarrassed from the compliment.

"So you all became friends after that?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, she was with us all of the time. She had a really rough childhood, too."

"Really," Rose asked. "She seems so close with Christian and his family, though."

"Now she is, but she had practically no relationship with her family growing up. She ran away from home when she was 10, and eventually found herself in the city," Dimitri told Rose, thinking back to how Tasha had told him and Ivan all of this two months into their friendship. "She was a little girl walking around the city alone so eventually authorities got a hold of her and…"

Dimitri trailed off as the memory of what Tasha had said came to his mind.

 _No,_ he thought. _It couldn't be._

Rose looked up at Dimitri once she saw he had stopped talking.

"And?" she asked. Dimitri's eyes seemed to be widening as he connected the dots in his head. He sat up straight on the coach abruptly, causing Rose to sit up as well.

"What happened?" Rose asked concerned at Dimitri's sudden change.

Dimitri stood up quickly and looked around the living room. Where the hell had he put it, he thought.

Rose stood up, too becoming more and more worried looking at the panicked expression that had taken over Dimitri's face.

"Dimitri?" she asked cautiously. He either ignored her or hadn't heard her, because he rushed into the kitchen.

Rose followed behind him to see that he was going through the numerous of files that were littering his kitchen counter.

"Where the hell is it?" he muttered to himself.  
After a few moments, he found the file he was looking for and practically tore it open, the contents spilling out of it.

"Dimitri what the hell is going on?" Rose asked, worry and concern evident in her voice.

"Tasha," Dimitri said, and looked up at Rose. "Tasha had been picked up by authorities and placed in an orphanage."

"Okay, and?" Rose asked, wondering why that caused such a reaction from Dimitri.

Dimitri picked up the only personal picture he had of Nathan, the one from his childhood in Russia. He slid the picture over to Rose.

Rose picked it up and examined the grainy image, before looking back up at Dimitri questioningly.

"That's a picture of Nathan, sitting in front of the same orphanage Tasha was placed in."

Meanwhile, Tasha and Ivan were finishing up their date and heading back to his car.

"Do you want to go back to my place?" Tasha asked once they sat in Ivan's car.

"Yeah, maybe we can-" Ivan was cut off by his phone ringing.

He saw it was Adrian and quickly picked it up.

"Hey man, what's up?"

Tasha looked over at Ivan as he spoke into the phone. Whatever Adrian was saying must have been really important, because she could see Ivan's eyebrows furrowing together in surprise and concern.

"Okay, okay I'll be right there," he said quickly and hung up the phone. He looked over at Tasha apologetically and asked her. "Is it okay if we swing by Dimitri's really quick? Adrian said there was a disturbance call made to Dimitri's house. Adrian sent the cops away, but he needs my help," Ivan rushed out everything that Adrian had said to him on the phone.

"Absolutely," Tasha said, nodding her head quickly. After giving Tasha a look of gratitude, Ivan started up the car and sped to Dimitri's house.

He parked the car and him and Tasha quickly got out of it. As they approached the front door, they could hear a male and female yelling at each other.

The two rushed into the house to see Adrian standing between a frustrated Dimitri and a pissed of Rose, trying to get the two to calm down.

"This is all your fault!" screamed Rose, moving past Adrian to shove Dimitri against his chest.

"Are you kidding me?" Dimitri yelled back. No one in that room had ever heard Dimitri raise his voice before, so to see him losing his cool like that both worried and shocked everyone.

"I took you in when your parents couldn't even handle you, and you're blaming this on me?" He asked incredulously. A deep look of hurt flashed across Rose's face before she once again covered it up with anger.

"Well that was their mistake and mine," Rose said.

Dimitri laughed out loud but it was void of any humor.

"It's a little late for regrets now sweetheart," he said. "You're upset, because you need someone to blame this whole thing on. I'm not going to stand for that Rose," he said, pointing an angry finger in Rose's direction.

It seemed like the fight was only escalating. Ivan and Tasha had no clue what was going on, but they moved forward to stand behind Dimitri, hoping to hold him back if things got too out of control.

"Look Rose, why don't you calm down and we can sit and talk about this," Adrian said calmly, moving towards Rose.

Rose shook her head and moved back, refusing to hear anything the brunette had to say.

"I just want to go home," she whispered, her voice cracking as she spoke. She swiped at her eyes as Adrian placed his hands on Rose's shoulders, trying to get her to look at him.

She moved away again and picked up her bag, intending to head to the front door.

"You're not going anywhere, we're not done talking about this," Dimitri said, his tone icy. Rose refused to listen and sped out the front door with Dimitri hot on her tail.

"Fuck," Ivan muttered as the three rushed out after them. If the cops had already been called and sent away from the place, then the last thing they needed was for this fight to move outside.

"Let me go," screamed Rose as she slapped Dimitri's hand off her arm. "I don't want to be here, I want to go home," she pleaded.

"So you're going to walk there? Grow the fuck up Rose and walk back inside. You're not going anywhere until we talk about this." Dimitri said, gesturing towards his front door.

Adrian came towards Rose again, placing himself partially in front of her.

"Come on Rose, I'll be with you. Let's go back inside," he said to her quietly.

Ivan approached Dimitri too, hoping to calm his friend down.

"Dimka I don't know what's going on, but why don't you relax a bit. You're making her upset," Ivan pointed out. He didn't know what caused the fight, but he didn't like the way Dimitri was talking to Rose.

Dimitri completely ignored his friend and stared at Rose, waiting for her to listen to him.

"I don't want to be anywhere near him," she told Ivan, though she was looking straight at Dimitri.

"Why not?" Dimitri asked, approaching her again.

"Because I don't trust you," she screamed. "I don't trust you!"

Dimitri stood frozen in his spot and stared at Rose, unable to believe she just said that.

"I don't trust you so just stay away from me," she said much quieter.

Dimitri swallowed roughly and Ivan and Tasha shared a worried glance between one another.

Dimitri looked past Rose and turned to Adrian.

"Take her home," he muttered, before turning around and walking back into his house.

Adrian turned towards Rose and spoke softly to her so Ivan and Tasha couldn't hear.

Rose swiped at eyes and nodded, before she went around to sit in the passenger side of Adrian's car.

He walked up to Ivan and Tasha, looking exhausted from this whole fight.

"I'm going to take her home, can you handle Dimitri?" he asked.

"Definitely," Ivan nodded and Tasha agreed. "What's going on, though? I've never seen him like that before."

"I have no clue, but hurry inside and make sure he's not ripping his place apart," Adrian said. The three quickly said goodbye to each other and split up.

Tasha and Ivan rushed inside to see Dimitri roughly putting his duster on and muttering angrily to himself in Russian.

"Where are you going?" Tasha asked cautiously.

"Work," Dimitri replied gruffly. "I need to get my mind off of this."

"What exactly is this?" Ivan asked him.

Dimitri released a long, frustrated sigh.

"Nathan," Dimitri seethed, his voice filled with hate and Tasha's head whipped in his direction. "Ever since he escaped, she's been on edge. She wanted to break up, but I told her we could find another way. I guess she got what she wanted. And where the fuck are my keys?" Dimitri said angrily.

"Oh no Dimka, you are not driving in like this. I'll take you," Ivan said and Tasha nodded in agreement.

Dimitri didn't say anything else and followed both of them into Ivan's car.

As Dimitri settled into the back seat and rubbed his temples in frustration, Ivan and Tasha shared another worried glance with each other.

Dimitri wasn't the type to make rash and quick decisions. He thought long and hard about what he did, so if he said him and Rose were broken up, that meant him and Rose were broken up.

"Dimka-" Tasha started, but Dimitri cut her off.

"I don't want to talk," he said quietly. "Please, I just don't want to talk."

Tasha nodded and turned back around in her seat.

They arrived at the Headquarters 20 minutes later. Dimitri muttered a 'thanks' and sent the couple on their way.  
He kept his face neutral until he walked into the building. Adrian approached him and pointed down the hall to where the private conference rooms were. He walked in there quickly and locked the door behind him.

Standing by the window, the longhaired beauty had her back to him.

Dimitri approached her slowly and wrapped his strong arms around her waist.

He could feel his tense muscles sagging in relief at the feel of her.

She turned around in his arms and buried her hands into his hair.

"Do you think she bought it?" Rose asked him.

"I think she bought it," said Dimitri.


	26. Chapter 26

**I'm backkkkk! I can not apologize enough for being MIA, but these past few months have been so busy. I'm completing my last semester to get my Master's, working full time, and I'm looking for a new place to live with my husband, all as a young and still clueless 23 year-old. Thank you for being so patient and a special thanks to those who messaged me privately. I will be updating a lot more now that the semester is nearing its end.**

 **This chapter is like the the calm before shit hits the fan. I hope you all enjoy this pretty boring chapter and please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

"So you believe a woman named Natasha Ozera is the person Nabakov has on the outside?"

Dimitri, Adrian, Ivan, and myself were all currently seated inside the boys' boss, Han's office. Dimitri had run through everything he had discovered just an hour ago to Hans, while the rest of us listened.

Dimitri shot a nervous glance towards Ivan, before turning to Hans again. "Yes."

I also looked over at Ivan, who was leaning against the far wall, with his arms crossed and head lowered. He had been in that position since he had came into the room, almost 30 minutes ago.  
I couldn't imagine how hard this was on him. Just the thought of Tasha cheating on him had sent the man into a drinking spiral. I can't imagine what this new information would push him to do.

"What do you expect will happen next then?" Han asked Dimitri.

"She believes that Rose and I are through with each other and I'm almost positive she's going to share this information with Nathan."

"And what do you want us to do? We don't have any solid proof that we can confront her with," Hans said, making a valid point. So far, we were all going off of what Dimitri believed.

"I think we should get a warrant to listen in on her phone calls."

"Seems fucked up," Ivan muttered and all heads turned to the blond. As if he could feel our gazes on him, he lifted his head to look back at us. "It seems fucked up to do that."

"It's the only way," Dimitri said regrettably. "She's my friend, too. But it's the only way."

Ivan nodded though I could tell he still seemed unhappy with the idea.

"I truly believe that she's going to tell Nathan about what she saw today. He's going to want to know everything that's going on with Rose."

The thought caused me to shiver. For a brief moment, it seemed like everything was falling back into place and now I had worry about this again. I had to worry about Nathan again.

"It seems like a long shot Belikov."

"It's all we have sir. If she's the one that can lead us to Nathan then we need to follow it. We can't afford to have him completely slip from our fingers."

"Okay, I'll allow it. Let's hope this is all we need to catch him."

Dimitri released a sigh of relief for having Hans's approval of tapping into Tasha's calls. I heard the office door shut behind us and noticed Ivan had left. Dimitri took a step to follow him, but Adrian quickly jumped out of his seat.

"I'll go talk to him," he said and Dimitri gave him a grateful look.

"This means you two have to keep up the pretense that you are no longer talking. We can't give her a reason to suspect either of you of knowing what's going on, because that'll mean the only link we had to Nathan would be gone," Han explained, but Dimitri and I had already discussed that.

As hard as it was going to be, Dimitri and I had decided to stop seeing each other until this whole thing blew over, which would hopefully be soon. That didn't mean we weren't going to stay in touch through calling and texting. This just meant that until they caught Nathan through Tasha, I wasn't going to be able to see Dimitri.

"We know, and I already called my parents to come here after work and pick me up."

"Good," Han's said, nodding his head in approval. "Once they get here, I'll run everything by them, as well. Now if that was all, you're both dismissed."

I quickly stood up and made my way to the door. Even though Hans wasn't my boss, he was such an intimidating man that I felt the need to immediately do as he said.

Dimitri and I walked over to the cluster of desks that belonged to Dimitri, Adrian, and Ivan, though the blond seemed to be missing.

"Where did Ivan go," Dimitri asked Adrian as I sat down in his chair.

"He said he was going to go clear his a head a bit."

Dimitri sighed in frustration and ran his fingers through his shoulder length hair, a habit I noticed he did when he was under a lot of stress.

"Hey don't worry yourself over it," Adrian said, reading into Dimitri's dilemma. "He knows just as much as you do that that all evidence points to her. Ivan told me he's going to keep seeing her and pretend like nothing happened, so as not to make her suspicious. It's just hard for him."

Dimitri nodded, though he didn't say anything else. I could imagine that he would want to have a conversation with Ivan once he came back, though.

Dimitri looked over at me and gestured for me to follow him to the same room I was in earlier, when I had arrived at the station with Adrian. It was at the end of the hall, away from the rest of the people in the building. I followed Dimitri in and he closed the door. He walked past the table and chairs, choosing to lean against the far wall instead.

I stayed where I was, not knowing if Dimitri needed his space or not.

"I'm sorry," he said so quietly, I almost missed it.

"What for?" I asked him.

"I should have known earlier that it was her."

"How could you have possibly known that Dimitri?"

He shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair again. I walked over to him and pulled his hands away from his scalp, holding them in my own instead.

"I should have been cautious Rose or at least been aware of what Nathan was planning on doing."

"How?" I repeated again. "I spent months with the man and even though I always stayed on edge, even I didn't expect him to escape from prison. There was nothing you could do, so please do not beat yourself up over something you had no control over."

Dimitri stared at me silently, not saying anything for a while. He bought his hand up to cheek and caressed it lovingly.

"How can you take it? After all that's happened to you, how are you still so okay?" He quietly asked.

"I wasn't at first," I said thinking back to how closed off I was after I was found and how I tried to push Dimitri away right after Nathan escaped. "But I need to learn that I can't upset myself over things I have no control of. Yeah it's unfair that I can't seem to catch a break, but I learned there isn't a limit to bad shit happening to you. There's nothing I can do except pray that this passes without any of you getting hurt."

I felt eerily calm after Dimitri discovered Tasha had been the female Nathan had spying on me, because what's done is done. As hard as it was for me to accept this, I had learned that there wasn't a maximum amount of shit a person could go through for the universe to finally say, "Okay this person has had enough to last them a lifetime, let's give them a break." There wasn't a quota that each person had that when they reached it, meant they would be exempt from bad things happening to them.

"It will pass," Dimitri said reassuringly, but all I could do was nod. That was one thing I wasn't sure I could agree with. Nathan was a storm that took victims with him as he passed; there was no way all of us would come out of this unscathed.

I felt Dimitri lightly tug at the bottom of my hair, bringing my attention back to him.

Dimitri glided his fingers up my arms, across my shoulders and buried his hands into my dark locks. I instantly melted into his touch and leaned against his muscular form.

"I'm going to miss you," he said softly, brushing his soft lips against my forehead.

"I'm going to miss you, too," I replied, wrapping my arms around his waist.

A realization suddenly came to my mind, one I was sure I couldn't put off.

I leveled my gaze on Dimitri, lowering my voice though I knew no one could hear us.

"We don't know how long this might last…and we haven't been together since last night," I said quietly. Dimitri's eyes snapped to mine and the browns I had come to love had darkened instantly.

"What are you trying to say?" Dimitri asked and I could hear the strain in his voice.

I moved closer and brushed my hand down the hard planes of his chest, before cupping his manhood through the jeans he wore. I heard Dimitri hiss as I applied pressure on his clothed member.

"What I'm saying," I said, looking back at him, but continuing to stroke him, "that you have made me very selfish Dimitri and I need you to fuck me before I leave."

Dimitri sprang back and for a moment I thought he was leaving me in here, but instead he locked the door and stalked his big body back over to where I stood.

"I don't have anything on me," he muttered in frustration.

"That's okay," I replied immediately. "Just let me know when you're about to cum."

Dimitri nodded and stepped close to me.

"You have to keep quiet," he said, brushing his hands down my chest and cupping my heavy breasts in his hands. I sighed in pleasure and pushed myself closer into his eager hold. "Rose, what did I just say?" he asked, applying pressure on my breasts, causing me to squeak.

"Quiet," I panted, "You said quiet." I gripped his biceps and squeezed as Dimitri's thumbs found my nipples and rubbed them through the fabric.

Within seconds, we had stripped each other of our clothes. We didn't have much time for foreplay. We were in a building filled with law enforcement officials and one could come knocking on the door any minute.

I lied back on the table and rested my bottom off the edge. Dimitri came forward and I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer to me.  
Dimitri brushed the head of his cock against my folds, seeking entrance at my core. Like always, my flesh gave way to his and I felt every thick inch of him make its way inside of me.

We both released a sigh of pleasure once Dimitri filled me almost to the brink of pain.

I wrapped my arms around his strong back as Dimitri set a steady pace, pulling all the way out and pushing himself to the hilt.

We usually enjoyed taking our time with each other, but today was not one of those days. Dimitri's hips snapped against mines quickly and roughly, the head of his member hitting that spot deep within me with each thrust.

Dimitri dropped his head down and nipped at my breast just as I bought my hand between us to brush against my clit. A few strokes back and forth was enough for the tension in my core to release, and I clenched down hard on Dimitri's cock, cumming so hard, I had to bite down on his shoulder to stop myself from screaming out.  
Dimitri continued to slide his length into me, helping me ride out the waves of my climax.

Dimitri's whole body seemed strained and his eyebrows were set low.

"I'm going to cum Roza," he whispered against my neck. I pushed against his chest and scrambled off of the table. Dimitri stepped back, his throbbing erection slick with my arousal. I dropped myself onto my knees, and took a hold of his manhood, feeling it warm and pulsing beneath my hand.  
Moving my head forward, I enveloped his cock into my mouth. I gripped the part of his manhood I couldn't fit into my mouth and set a quick speed, helping Dimitri to completion, just as he helped me.

I moaned at the taste of myself on his length and the vibrations were enough to send Dimitri over the edge. He buried his hands in my hair and stilled my head, jerking his hips as the warm liquid filled my mouth.

I swallowed up every bit he gave, savoring his unique taste.

Dimitri and I didn't have the time to bask in the aftermath of our lovemaking, and quickly dressed before someone came looking for us.

"What a send off," he said, smirking in my direction after I pulled the last remaining article of clothing back over my body.

"What can I say, I know how to please my man," I replied back. I opened up the door, and after looking in both directions, walked out.

"Yeah you do," I heard Dimitri mutter as he followed me out.

We walked back to Dimitri's desk and Adrian glanced up from the paperwork he was currently reading. He looked back down, before his head shot up and he stared at us inquisitively.

"What?" I asked, smoothing down my hair so it didn't look sexed up.

He tilted his head to the side and examined Dimitri and I from head to toe. The questioning glance changed to shock, which quickly turned to humor that caused him to practically bounce in his seat.

"You two are fucking dirty," he said, laughing loudly in our direction.

"Keep it down," Dimitri muttered, looking around the place to make sure no one could hear us. The man next to me was blushing bright red, but trying to deny Adrian's claim. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come on," Adrian exclaimed, though he thankfully did lower his voice. "If there's one thing I know, it's sex. And you both just had sex."

"No we didn't," Dimitri said quickly, sounding much like a little child who just got caught doing something bad by his parents.

I wasn't bothered at all that Adrian had figured out what we had done, but Dimitri was clearly embarrassed. He was a private lover. Dimitri didn't hold back when we were alone, but he didn't like people knowing or asking about the intimate details of our relationship.

"You can't lie to me Dimitri. Rose is practically glowing from it," he said, gesturing to me.

"Aw thanks," I told him, taking what he said as a compliment.

"Don't 'aw thanks' him," Dimitri turned and said to me.

I nodded showing him I understood, but I stepped behind him and mouthed 'aw thanks' to Adrian again.

"Fine," Adrian said. He raised his hands and air quoted, "You didn't have sex."

I giggled, causing Dimitri to throw another scolding look my way.

"Oh by the way Rose, your parents are here," he told me pointing to the office doors. "They're talking to Hans right now."

I was glad that he was the one explaining everything to my parents so I didn't have to. It was annoying having to repeat everything over and over again for the next person to hear.

"Listen, I wanted to say something to you really quick before you left. Even though you can't be around Dimitri for a while, Sydney and I will still be there for you," Adrian said genuinely.

"Thank you, I really appreciate that," I told him. It was crazy how in such a short time, Dimitri's friends had become my own, and I absolutely loved it.

I sat down in Dimitri's chair and gestured for him to come closer.

"Come here," I said quietly so he was forced to lower his head closer to mine.

"Can you kiss me before I have to leave?" I asked him, before my parents came out of Han's office and it'd be awkward for the both of us. Dimitri looked around the place before placing his hands on the arms of the chair, bringing himself closer to me.

I met him halfway and pressed my lips softly against his. The kiss ended just as quickly as it began, much to my disappointment. I would never get enough of Dimitri.

He glanced above my head and stood straight, though he still stayed close.

"Your parents are out," he said and I looked behind me to see them walking towards us.

I stood up just as they reached me. My parents exchanged quick hellos with both Dimitri and I.

"Honey, where were you when we got here. We couldn't find you anywhere," my mom asked me. Dimitri and I shared a quick glance before I answered her.

"I was just in the back room talking to Dimitri. You spoke with Hans?" I asked, quickly diverting her questioning to something else.

"Yeah he caught us up on everything," my dad told us. "You're sure this is what we need to do to catch asshole?" he asked Dimitri.

"Absolutely, this is our best bet."

"Are you sure it's safe for Rose to be going to school, since that woman will be there with her," my mom asked him.

"Han's girlfriend has promised to keep an eye out for Rose. She'll even be staying after school on the days Rose has dance practice. We can't let Tasha suspect anything is different and she will if Rose just suddenly stops coming to school," he explained.

"Han's girlfriend?"

"Alberta," I clarified and I could instantly see my parents relaxing.

"Oh that makes me feel so much better," my mom said. My parents knew Alberta well and trusted her just as much as I did.

When Dimitri had been relaying everything he found out, Hans himself had suggested that he would make Alberta keep her eye on me. She was trustworthy, wouldn't raise any questions, and according to Hans, lethal as hell.

"You'll keep us updated with everything that happens?"

"Yes," Dimitri said.

"Let's get going then Rose, grab your things," my mom told me and I reluctantly put on my coat and grabbed my bag.

I turned to Dimitri who looked just as down as I did.

"We'll keep in touch?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah, I'll call you tonight." Dimitri dropped a kiss on my forehead.

After finally forcing myself to say goodbye to him, I left with my parents, hoping that all of this would pass over soon.

 ** _Dimitri's POV_**

An hour after Rose left with her parents, we had tapped into Tasha's phone.

I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that it had been Tasha who had been working for Nathan. It just didn't make sense to me.  
I thought back to years ago to our time together in Russia and tried to think of signs of her being in love, but I just couldn't picture it.

Even then, she only had eyes for Ivan and that had increased tenfold since they reconnected here.

Either her feelings for Ivan had been completely false or she had a different relationship with Nathan than the one we had all assumed.

Either way, she chose to aid him and that was enough to consider her an enemy.

"Dimka," the familiar voice spoke, pulling me from my thoughts. Ivan had come back from wherever he had gone a little while ago, but his facial expression told us that he wasn't ready to talk. I guess he was now.

"Yeah?"

"I'm about to head out. Do you need a ride home, considering I was the one that drove you here."

"Yeah let me just let Hans know and we can leave," I told him. I popped into Hans's office and after telling him to call me if anything important took place, I joined Ivan at his car.

"I saw Rose wearing that ring," he commented once he began to drive.

The thought bought a smile to my face. I had been so worried about giving it to her, nervous that she wouldn't be ready for that big of a commitment, but luckily she had accepted it.

"Yeah, she loved it," I told him.

"That's good."

I glanced over at him, noticing him trying to hide that fact that he was still upset.

"Are you okay?"

"What do you think?" he replied sarcastically. "The only girl I've ever been serious about is aiding a criminal. And she's in love with him," he muttered angrily. "I can't believe I was so stupid."

"Maybe she's not," I said and he shot me a confused look. "In love with him, I mean."

"I heard the first phone conversation they had when that bastard was still in prison. They said 'I love you' to each other."

"They definitely love each other, she wouldn't help him if she didn't. What I'm saying is maybe they're not in love."

Ivan only looked more confused so I clarified what I meant.

"Look, they both met each other when they were young, alone, and in a vulnerable state. If anything, she probably looks at him as a brother."

"You think?" he asked me, and I could see a bit of his stress lift away. What I was telling him didn't put Tasha in the clear, but I could understand this information must make Ivan feel a little better.

"Definitely. If she was in love with him, do you think she would be helping him get to Rose, a person he clearly is obsessed with? No way, if anything she would be trying everything in her power to keep Rose and Nathan away from each other. I think Tasha looks at Nathan as the family she never had and is helping him get what he wants."

"That actually makes sense. Dimka I'm going to sound like such a dumbass for saying this, but that makes me feel so much better," he said, looking over at me with an embarrassed expression.

"I get it," I told him truthfully.

"What she's doing is wrong and I want to catch them both just as much as you do, but I don't know," he shrugged. "I thought everything she had said and done was a lie, like she was using me. Maybe once we confront her, we can convince her to help us?" he asked so eagerly that I didn't have the heart to say anything but yes.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Tasha would refuse to help us in anyway. Nathan had kidnapped, raped, and beat Rose for months and wanted to do the same thing again. And she was helping him.

She was helping a sick, bastard get his hands on an 18 year-old girl that he planned to hurt. There was no way she would be picking us over him.

I looked over at Ivan and saw how relived, yet torn he still looked over everything that happened today.

Rose was my number one concern, but it seemed like I needed to keep an eye out on Ivan, as well.

All I could hope was that my best friend got out of this unscathed.


	27. Chapter 27

**I just submitted my last assignment 4 hours ago and immediately started writing this chapter right after. I was going to make this chapter longer, but the next part is going to be a lot more eventful so I decided to stop it right here for now. I already started the next chapter for this and She-Wolf. I will hopefully be updating a lot more now that the semester is officially over! Thank you so much for being patient and I will try to reward you all by updating more often.**

 **I hope you enjoy this short chapter and let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

 **Dimitri POV**

"I told you not to call," Nathan's cold voice sounded scolding.

"I know, but this was important," Tasha said, not seeming affected by Nathan's harsh tone.

It had only taken a couple of hours after I left the station for Tasha to call Nathan.

It was close to 10 p.m., but I had rushed over to listen to the recording.

Adrian and Ivan huddled close to me, as we listened to the call that had been recorded about a half an hour ago.

"What is it then?"

"You won't need to worry about Dimitri anymore; he and Rose broke up," she related to him. I clenched my fist, feeling a deep spark of hatred for Tasha run through my blood. She sounded so excited telling Nathan this.

"How do you know this?" Nathan asked her urgently. His voice didn't sound as clear as Tasha's did, as if there was a barrier preventing his voice to sound natural.

"They got into a fight over you. They were screaming at each other and Rose said she didn't trust Dimitri. Afterwards, he pretty much told her to fuck off."

I wasn't the only one pissed. Adrian was picking at his fingers, a sign that showed me how hard he was trying not to pull out a cigarette and smoke his anger away. Even Ivan was bouncing cell phone against his knee, his signature sign showing me how annoyed and pissed he was at this overall situation.

Nathan muttered a few Russian curses in renewed excitement that I never heard in his tone before. I was right; this was the news he had been hoping for.

"Did you get her?" Tasha asked next and all three of us shared confused looks with one another.

"Hmm," he hummed in response. "Your boy just dropped her off. I thought this whole exchange was going to be a bigger pain, but since Rose finally realized how wrong that brute was for her, there should be no problem in making the exchange."

 _Exchange?_

Adrian looked over at me and gestured to the device we were listening on.

"Who the hell is he talking about?" he asked me.

I was at a loss for words, trying to rack my brain of what and who Nathan and Tasha meant.

"I don't know," I told him, and could feel worry start to creep up my spine.

"When are you going to do it?" Tasha asked.

"Tomorrow."

There was a slight pause in conversation, before Tasha spoke again.

"I want to see you. Why I can't come to you?" Tasha asked, and I could hear the same hurt in her tone from the first conversation we heard between them.

Nathan sighed and softened his voice, "Soon, I promise. Don't risk calling me again, though. I don't need anyone figuring out what we mean to each other, okay?" he said, his tone tender.

She released a deep breath before replying. "Fine."

"Good, I've got to go now. I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied before the call ended.

"Who was he talking about?" Ivan repeated Adrian's question to me.

"I don't know," I told them both again. I didn't like any of this. I had been feeling pretty confident about this whole thing, but this conversation set me on edge once again.

"Well let's look up where the call came from and we'll go from there," Adrian said. He typed into the computer and pulled out the location for where the call was from. Nathan had used a burner phone, but even those could be traced using satellite signals. The good thing about burner phones was that they offered anonymity. That was something that couldn't work in Nathan's benefit, because we knew it was him that was using it.

"Alright, the signal came from a park 40 minutes from here. I know for a fact that cops always patrol that area, because they worry that teenagers could be doing stupid shit at nighttime. I'll send out an APB, so while we brief Hans, the cops near the park will already have started looking for him."

This was something I admired most about Adrian. He had such a clam and easygoing personality, but very few knew how truly serious and thorough he could be when it came to his job.

All three of us made our way to Hans and quickly briefed him on what we heard and where we were going.

"One of you stays behind. If the lead is wrong then that person can figure out the next course of action will be," Hans said.

"I'll stay," Ivan immediately volunteered.

With all of us in agreement, we left Hans office.

I was putting on my vest when Adrian's phone rang.

He picked it up and though I couldn't hear what the person on the other end of the line was saying, I could tell he was annoyed.

"Alright, send the evidence over to our department. Thank you," he said swiftly, before hanging up.

"Bad news Dimka. The phone Nathan used was taped underneath a bench next to a walkie-talkie. God knows where he was actually speaking from or when he was at the park, but he definitely isn't there."

I cursed and slammed my hand against my desk. No wonder why Nathan's voice had sounded muffled compared to Tasha's; he had been speaking through a walkie-talkie, not directly speaking from the cellphone.

"He's clever as fuck, I'll give him that," Ivan said. "Look, how about we look through who else Tasha's been in contact with. Didn't Nathan mentioned something about 'her boy.' There is no way Tasha could have helped him escape from prison all by herself. Let's find out who their accomplice is."

I nodded, already feeling disappointed in this whole situation and myself. It's like for every one step we took, Nathan took 10. I didn't want to let Rose down, not after everything she has already been through.

She put her trust in me, and I couldn't disappoint her.

Adrian sat down and pulled up the call log again. Aside from Ivan, her brother Lucas, and her nephew Christian, there was one person that seemed to call Tasha a whole lot.

Adrian typed a few more things, before I saw him mouth drop open.

"No way," he whispered. "No fucking way."

Ivan and I shared a glance between one another before looking at Adrian curiously.

"According to this time log, there is one person who has stayed in constant contact with Tasha since she arrived in town." Adrian looked at Ivan and I smirking. "Ethan Moore."

I could feel myself mimicking the same shocked look that Adrian had just a few moments ago. _No fucking way._

"Whoa wait, why does that name sound so familiar?" Ivan asked.

"Who was the guard from Treason Prison that Nathan fought, which resulted in him getting locked up in solitary confinement," Adrian asked him.

That was all Ivan needed to make the connection and his eyes widened in surprise not a moment later. Beyond that look though, I could see how painful this information was for him.

This truly proved that not only had Tasha aided in freeing Nathan from prison so he could once more get his hands on Rose, but she had been having an affair with someone who she knew she could use in helping Nathan escape.

There was not a doubt in my mind that she didn't give a shit about Ethan; she only used him for her own benefit.

"If he helped Nathan escape, then he must have been the one to supposedly deliver this mystery person to Nathan. I'll talk to Hans to get us a warrant to search his phone and car. Hopefully he used a GPS to take him to Nathan's address," Adrian said, already getting out of his seat.

He shared a worried glance with me and nodded his head in Ivan's direction when the blond wasn't looking. I sighed quietly in regret, knowing what it was that Adrian wanted me to do.

As my cousin left us, I turned to Ivan to see a forlorn expression across his usual hopeful face.

"I know what you're going to say," he said, before I even had the chance to speak. My eyebrows shot up in surprise and I let him continue. "There's no way I can protect her. Hell, I shouldn't even want to protect her."

Adrian hadn't just gone in there to talk about Ethan. In order for us to confront Ethan, we needed to confront Tasha and that's what Adrian had wanted me to tell Ivan.

It was a lot harder said than done though. Logically speaking, Tasha should serve her time right along side Nathan and Ethan. She had allowed her personal feelings for a sick human being blind her into using individuals that cared about her and ultimately put Rose in danger once again.

In his mind, Ivan knew this. It was his heart that was the problem.

Even now, I could see how torn he was. He loved her, but there was no escape for Tasha after what she'd done.

I was going to say something to consult him, but I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, indicating that someone was calling me. The caller ID showed that it was my mother. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. The time difference was 8 hours, meaning it wasn't even 7 a.m. in Baia yet.

I was going to ignore it, but Ivan glanced at the screen. "Answer her, you know she'll start to worry if you don't." I nodded and sent him an apologetic look before answering.

"Hi Mama," I said, as soon I accepted the call.

"Dimka!" she exclaimed in excitement. "I've been waiting all night for one of you to call me."

 _Huh?_

"What do you mean Mama?" My eyebrows furrowed even more in confusion as I tried to make sense of what my mother was saying.

"I thought you would've called immediately once you saw your surprise, but since neither of you did, I thought I'd call you myself," she explained, but all it did was confuse me even more. I could tell from my mother's tone that she was happy, but I couldn't understand what she meant.

"What surprise?"

"Vika," she said as if it was obvious. "Your friend from America called and had her fly over. So, were you surprised?"

I was an avid reader and there was something many protagonists in my novels would explain as their 'blood running cold.' It was described as a physical shock felt throughout the body that left the feeling of fear, horror, and dread in its wake. I had never experienced it before.

Until my mother told me what she just did.

"Mama," I mumbled trying to cut off her excited chatter. I felt like there was something lodged in my throat, preventing me from speaking. I swallowed roughly and rubbed my forehead, surprised to feel sweat connecting with the palm of my hand.

"What the hell happened to him?" I heard Adrian say, but I didn't know who or what he was talking about.

"Mama," I spoke louder, cutting her off. "Mama, what do you mean? Vika isn't with me."

Those four words were enough to shut my mother up. She was quiet for a moment and then released a nervous laughter. "What you do you mean Dimka? She's there with you."

I released a shaky breath and looked towards Ivan and Adrian, who both looked worried seeing the state I was in.

I slowly shook my head, forgetting for a moment that my mom couldn't see me.

"No," I breathed out. "She's not."

"Dimka if this is some kind of joke-

"Who called her?" I cut her off again. I could here the panic in my voice and tried to calm myself down for the sake of my mother. "Who called Vika and told her to fly over here?"

I knew the answer, yet I still needed her to tell me.

"Natasha Ozera," my mom replied quietly.

I squeezed my eyes tightly and groaned. She was the delivery. My baby sister was the second part of the exchange Nathan and Tasha had been talking about.

Vika was with Nathan.

Nathan.

The man who raped and beat Rose every day now had his hands on my baby sister.

Images of the state I found Rose in at Nathan's penthouse flashed through my mind, making me feel so sick that I hadn't realized my mom was trying to get my attention.

"Dimitri what's going on? Where's my baby?" I could hear the full panic and fear in her tone.

What do I say to her? How do I tell her that a ruthless killer has kidnapped Vika? How do I tell my mother that I have no idea where my baby sister could be?

"Mama," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Vika…"

"Dimka you get my baby back to me! Do you hear me? You find my baby and bring her back to me," she screamed into my ear.

From a young age, I had learned how to keep a hold on my emotions from my mother. My stoicism was something I had picked up from her.

Yet all that went out the window as I heard my mother sobbing and screaming into the phone. Voices of my older sisters were coming from the background, but I couldn't understand any of it.

I took the phone away from my ear and dropped my head into my hands.

From the very beginning, I had always asked myself what if it had been Vika in Rose's position. When I was torn about taking Rose into my home, that was the question I always asked myself- What if it had been Vika?

Now I knew my answer.


	28. Chapter 28

**I fretted over this chapter for weeks, revising it over and over again. I didn't want to drag the scene out, so thats why I ended the chapter where I did. I think theres only 5 more chapters I can get out of this story. We're approaching the end and it's actually making me a little sad lol. Anyways I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

 _ **Dimitri POV**_

We were locked, loaded, and ready to go.

Briefing Hans on everything we had learned, and then waiting on him to get permission on the raid took a long time and in the early hours of the morning, we were finally ready to go.

I was itching and stressed to get to Tasha, because the only thing on my mind was Vika.

I wanted to leave as soon as I finished up my phone call with my mother, but the guys held me back and reasoned with me that I couldn't go in there without an official order from my boss.

As each minute ticked by, I was getting more and more pissed off, to the point that even Ivan and Adrian steered clear of me. But now, we were finally ready to head out.

Before I had the chance to step out, I felt Ivan's large hand on my forearm, halting my movements.

"Can I talk to you really quickly?" I glanced at the door, my need to leave showing clearly on my face. "It'll be quick."

I nodded and ushered him over to the hall where we could get more privacy.

"What's up?"

"I don't want you think I'm going into this with an unclear head. The moment I heard about Vika, Tasha was dead for me." Taking a deep breath, he tugged at his blond hair. "I just don't want you or Adrian to think you can't trust me out there."

"Ivan," I quickly cut him off. "I would never think that. You're like my brother."

He released a sigh of relief and it wasn't until this moment that I realized how heavily this was weighing on his mind. For Adrian and I, there was no hesitation on who's side we were on. Despite my own history and friendship with Tasha, I held absolutely no sympathy for her. The moment I found out the truth about her, I hated her.

Hearing Ivan say that he was completely on my side was just as much of a relief to me as was him hearing I trusted him. We needed to go into this with a clear head and I was glad he had pulled me aside to have this conversation.

"Our main concern is finding Vika and protecting Rose, but I needed to get this off my chest."

"I feel you, I'm glad you did," I told him.

Adrian popped his head into the hallway we were standing in. "Guys, let's go."

I turned back to Ivan and slapped him on the back, hoping that was enough for him to realize how okay I was now that we had gotten this out of the way.

XXXXX

It was almost 6 a.m. when we arrived in front of Tasha's house and we were lucky enough to find another car parked in her driveway.

Adrian typed the license plate into the portable laptop and gave us a smirk.

"The car is registered to Ethan Moore."

"Two birds with one stone," I muttered, re-checking the clip on my gun. I was sure I wouldn't actually have to use it, but you could never be too safe.

"So how are we going to play this," Ivan asked us.

We were in one vehicle, with another 2 backup groups with us. It was needed, since they were both involved in Nathan's escape.

"We'll lead, break her door open and apprehend them both. None of us are assholes when it comes to our weapons, but I still need to say this. We need them both alive to find out where Vika is," I stressed, giving Adrian a pointed look. Out of the three of us, he was the trigger happy one. Adrian rolled his eyes, but nodded, showing me he agreed with me.

I had gone over this with the rest of the officers on the scene, as well. I told them it was crucial to have Tasha and Ethan come out of this alive.

"Nathan said over the phone to Tasha that he wanted the exchange to happen today. We need those two alive to be a step ahead of him."

"We got this Dimka, don't worry," Ivan reassured me. Usually I was confident with what I did, but I was too personally involved in this case. With both Rose and Vika added into the mix, it was hard for me to go into this with a clear head. Still, I tried to remind myself that there was absolutely no room for screw-ups.

We exited the car, the three of us taking the lead. I had done this so many times, but I had never felt this nervous before. There was also a lot more laying on this raid then any other. One wrong move and I could lose two of the most important females in my life.

With our guns raised, we slowly approached the front of the house, while some of the other officers spread themselves out around the rest of the area surrounding Tasha's house.

What we didn't expect was that a few feet away from us, the front door would open and Ethan would walk out, with Tasha close on his tail.

He barely registered us at first, glancing at us briefly and then jerking back in surprise so quickly, that he knocked into Tasha.

"Hand's up where I can see them," I yelled, the three of us circling around the pair.

Out of the two, Tasha looked completely stunned, as if she couldn't believe that we had actually caught her.

I saw her take a step towards her front door, but Ivan's voice stopped her.

"Don't even think about it Tasha," anger and betrayal laced in his voice. She at least had the decency to look embarrassed. Tasha slowly moved out of the front door completely, and walked in front of Ethan.

"Ivan, I can explain," she whispered, her lower lip quivering. I scoffed at her act; her fake ass tears wouldn't work on me again.

"Save it," he muttered. He kept his gun raised and took a step closer to her. "I trusted you," he whispered so no one but us could hear him. "I loved you."

"Ivan please let me explain-"

"No!" he cut her off. "Nothing can justify what you're doing to Rose and what you did to Vika."

Her eyes widened in surprise and she shared a scared look with Ethan.

"Yeah, you think we wouldn't find out?" He asked rhetorically. Ivan's hands holding the gun began shaking, causing Adrian and I to share a worried glance and step closer to Ivan. "You met her when she was a little girl. How the fuck could you do that to her? How could you do that to Dimka's family, when they treated you like you were their own?"

"Ivan, calm down," Adrian told him.

Ivan turned towards Adrian, voicing his anger towards him next. "How can you tell me to calm down? I can't calm down!"

I should have never bought him. I should have never thought that he would be able to keep a clear head, because during the split second Adrian and I both turned towards Ivan, Ethan pulled a gun out from the back of his pants, yanked Tasha into his chest, and aimed the gun at her head.

And just like that, everything went to shit.

He moved backwards, so his back was facing the front door, and allowing all of his weak spots to be covered. Tasha yelped in Ethan's hold. He was bending her arm back in a painful way.

"I'll shoot her, I'll fucking do it," Ethan threatened us. His hand was shaking and he looked terrified, but we had to listen to him, because Tasha was the only connection I had to Nathan and Vika, and I couldn't lose her.

"Alright, alright relax," I tried to say calmly. I slowly put my gun down on the ground and eyed Tasha, trying to silently tell her to not make any sudden moves.

"Everyone drop their weapons!" I gritted my teeth in anger and gestured for all the officers, including Ivan and Adrian to put their guns down.

"We are not going to hurt you, just put the gun down and you can explain everything to us," I tried to reason with him.

Ethan laughed maniacally, all trace of humor void from it. "You can't fool me. I know what's going to happen go me if I put this gun down." He shook his head and muttered to himself. "I'm not going to jail, I won't."

Tasha was sinking lower in Ethan's hold, but not just from the pain in the arm he had a vice grip on.

No, she was lowering herself enough to be able to connect her fist with his groin. The moment her fist connected with Ethan's sensitive flesh, he fell back towards the front door. His grip on Tasha loosened, and she pushed the hand holding the gun away so quickly, that Ethan's finger tightened on the trigger and a shot rang out.

As I went towards Tasha, Adrian lifted his gun from the ground and fired a perfect shot against Ethan's arm, causing the man to drop the gun and fall down in pain.

I grasped Tasha's wrist and turned her around, so her back was against me.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," I said in a mechanical tone. I've arrested a lot of people before, but I never thought Tasha would be one of them.

"You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you," I continued, handcuffing her wrists behind her back.

"Dimka-"

"Take her," I told a passing officer, giving the female off to him. I didn't want to hear anything she had to say.

I saw Tasha being placed in a police vehicle while some other officers approached Ethan. A call was made to have an ambulance come to the scene, since there was no way we could put a shot and bloody man into the police car.

"Are we all good?" I called out and heard an chorus of 'yes' and 'yeahs."

Adrian approached me, putting his gun away.

"Great, more paper work for me," he mumbled. I was going to reply, but a groan behind me caught my attention.

Ivan had his back turned towards Adrian and I, and he was slouching against the car.

"What's up Ivan?" Adrian asked him.

This moment, these few seconds, would be etched into my brain forever.

Ivan turned towards us slowly, and it was only then that I noticed his hand was placed at the base of his neck.

My best friend got shot and I never even realized it.

He swayed slightly and took the hand away, his hand and neck covered in blood.

"Dimka?" he croaked out, blood sputtering from his mouth and wound.

My feet moved without me even realizing it and I caught Ivan just as he fell.

"I got you man, I got you," I told him gently, though I was freaking out inside. I moved behind Ivan and lowered us slowly onto the ground.

I pulled Ivan towards my chest and cradled his head against my legs.

"We need an ambulance quick!" Adrian yelled out and moved close to place his hands around Ivan's neck, trying to keep the blood form flowing out. "Hang in there buddy, we'll be getting out of here soon," Adrian said, trying to give Ivan a smile though he faltered miserably.

"Dimka, listen to me," Ivan choked out.

"Shush man."

Ivan shook his head and groaned, the action clearly causing him pain. "No, no you need to listen to me." He tried to take a deep breath and shudders went through his body.

"I was always so jealous of you," he whispered. "You had Olena, Yeva, the girls, and then Rose. I always thought you were the luckiest man ever, because you had a family that loves you so much."

Ivan abruptly stopped, coughing up blood. Adrian and I shared a panicked look. I could feel my insides clenching in pain, because even if the paramedics showed up right this second, Ivan had already lost too much blood.

I swept the sweaty strands of hair that matted his forehead and pushed them back, holding him against my chest as I would a child. As his coughing seized, he looked extremely pale, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Ivan you keep your eyes open! Do you hear me, keep them open!" I begged him.

"But you love me," he whispered and smiled sadly up at me. I clenched my eyes tight, unable to keep a hold onto my true feelings even for Ivan's sake. "You love me and Adrian loves me and that's all the love I needed in my life."

I lowered my forehead onto his and nodded my head.

"I do, you're my brother. I've always loved you."

I felt Ivan sigh and all at once, the tension and the strain had left his body.

I shot my head up in a panic, tightening my hold on him. Adrian had moved even closer on his knees, now hovering over Ivan just as I was.

"Ivan, Ivan wake up."

Adrian moved one of his hands that had been covering Ivan's wound and bought it up to his face.

"Come on buddy, open your eyes. Come on, Ivan please," Adrian paused and looked up at me, his eyes face looking as terrified as I felt. "Dimitri wake him up," he pleaded.

I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"No! Wake him up!"

I dropped my head again and brushed my lips against Ivan's forehead.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered against his skin. Adrian had given up on begging me. He was hunched over with his head in his hands and I could see his shoulders shaking.

I bought Ivan closer to my chest and rocked him lightly back and forth, crying into his neck.

I continued to whisper how sorry I was and how much I loved him against the skin of his neck, but he couldn't hear me anymore.

I heard the distinct sound of sirens coming closer and closer to us until the noise was almost deafening. There were people rushing up to us, speaking urgently and trying to take Ivan from my hold.

I shook them off and tightened my arms around him, unable to physically part from my best friend who had just died in my arms.

 ** _Rose POV_**

Sydney called me at 8 in the morning, telling me she was coming to pick me up.

"Why, is everything okay?" I asked her.

"Adrian texted me and told me to take you to the headquarters, but he didn't tell me why."  
"Okay yeah I'll be ready in 10 minutes, see you then."

After hanging up with Sydney, I called Dimitri and had the call go immediately to voicemail. From Sydney's phone call and Dimitri not picking up, I was instantly worried.

I tried to push my fear to the back of my head and went outside to where Sydney was waiting for me.

"Look I don't want to sound like a pessimist-"

"I do," Sydney said, cutting me off. She handed me her phone and told me," Look at what Adrian sent me."

I looked at the message he had sent her a half an hour ago and it read, " _Please come to the Headquarters with Rose. I need you."_

"I tried calling Dimitri and it went straight to voicemail. That's never happened before."

Sydney released a sigh of frustration and stepped harder on the gas pedal. The quicker we got to the headquarters, the quicker we would get our answers.

We arrived no more than 10 minutes later and I had never seen such chaos here before.

For starters, there were significantly a lot less people here then I was used to seeing. And second, every person seemed to have a somber expression on their faces.

"Something doesn't feel right," I muttered to Sydney.

"I'm going to see if Hans is here," she said before rushing over to his office. I made my way over to Dimitri's desk and sat myself down. It was crazy how exhausted I already felt and the day had just started.

"He's not here," Sydney said. She plopped herself down at Adrian's desk. Now all we had left was to wait.  
Apparently the two of us were too restless and anxious to be sitting still.

For the next 20 minutes, Sydney and I had been pacing the floors, waiting for our men when they finally showed up.

I made a move to go towards Dimitri, but stopped in my tracks.

I had never, in the all the months I had known him, seen such a broken expression on Dimitri's face. His eyes were bloodshot and lifeless, and he seemed unaware of his surroundings.

I shared a worried glance with Sydney after noticing Adrian didn't look any better.

The boys approached their desks and we walked up to them, until we were only a foot away.

"Dimitri," I asked hesitantly. He looked at me as if just noticing I was there and I was shocked to see him look even worse up close. I closed the distance between us and touched my hand to his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Dimitri's eyes turned glossy and he dropped his head from my hold.

Sydney, who had been fretting over Adrian, spoke up.

"Where's Ivan?"

I looked behind the boys, and noticed that the blond was missing.

Dimitri clenched his eyes shut and bought his hands up to hold his head. I gasped seeing the dried blood covering Dimitri's hands.

My breath hitched in my throat and I could feel tears pooling in my eyes, yet I had to ask.

"Dimitri where's Ivan?"

A moment later, Dimitri shook his head, filling my body with dread.

"Oh Dimitri," I draped my arms tightly around Dimitri, feeling his body trembling in my hold. Dimitri struggled to keep his emotions in, but lost the battle, weeping into my shoulder.

All I could do was hold on tight, shaking as sobs wracked through my own body. I had been worried about the confrontation they were going to have with Tasha, but I couldn't imagine it turning into this.

Dimitri's arms snaked around my waist and he gripped me so tight, I could feel his nails digging into my hips. He buried his face into my hair, and all I could do was hold him tight as he mourned over the loss of his best friend.

Dimitri cried in my arms. Dimitri cried the whole way home. Dimitri cried as I stripped him of his bloody clothes and washed him in the shower. And that day, I held him till he cried himself to sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

**We're nearing the end. Hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

 **Rose POV**

It wasn't a surprise that Dimitri didn't stay down for longer than a handful of hours. Everything had happened in the early hours in the morning so by the time it was mid-afternoon, Dimitri was up and ready to go to work again.

"Dimitri you need to rest," I tried to reason with him. He looked haggard, rough stubble on his face and dark bags under his eyes.

"No time," he said, brushing me off.

"You've barely slept 5 hours in the past two days. You're not going to be any good like this."

Dimitri halted by the front door and turned in my direction. Cupping my face in his large hands, he softened his voice tremendously. "He has my sister. He took my brother away from me. I can't rest."

Tears pooled in my eyes at the pain I heard in Dimitri's voice and I nodded my head.

It was a shock to me when I was told that Nathan had taken Viktoria. Sydney called me in a panic and said that Adrian had told her in an emotional conversation that Dimitri's baby sister had been kidnapped.

Even though it was stupid, I blamed myself completely. I was ultimately the reason she was taken by him. If I had been with Nathan or if Dimitri had never gotten involved with me, then his baby sister would be safe.

I had one thought running through my head since Ivan died and I found out about Viktoria, and it was that I wasn't worth it.

I was not worth the pain Dimitri and Adrian felt for losing Ivan and I was not worth the worry Dimitri's family was going through over the taking of their youngest sister, and I sure as hell wasn't worth whatever sick shit Nathan might be putting that innocent girl through.

I just wasn't worth it.

A honk outside pulled Dimitri and I away from each other.

"Who's here?"

"Adrian, we're going to ride to work together. Nathan had told Tasha he would be calling today. I want a chance to talk to her and see if I can get any information from her."

"I'm coming."

"Rose-"

"You can't stop me Dimitri." I quickly put on my shoes and jacket. Half the reason I wanted to go was so I could drive the boys. They went through something extremely traumatic today, and that combined with how little they slept did not mix well with driving.

I guess Sydney had the same thought I did, because when we stepped outside, she was behind the wheel.

I was making my way to the backseat, when Adrian got out. He looked just as rough as Dimitri and it broke my heart even more, because I had never seen him without his easy-going smile before.

"I'll sit in the back with Dimitri," he said and didn't even give me the chance to object before he sat himself in the back.

I buckled myself in and took a discreet look in the rearview mirror. Dimitri and Adrian had unconsciously moved towards the middle of the seat until their arms were pressed against each other. Not even a moment later, they both leaned towards each other and rested their head against one another.

They were now connected through this tragedy and no one would be able to understand what they went through fully and completely more than the other could.

I released a shaky breath and noticed Sydney rub the sleeve of her shirt against her eyes.

The drive to the headquarters was a silent one, with Sydney and I pointedly ignoring the sniffles we heard from the back.

 ** _Dimitri POV_**

I didn't waste a second after Sydney parked, before I made my way to the interrogation room, where I demanded Tasha be.

As I reached the door, I paused. I was so angry and I knew the sight of her would set me off. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down before I walked into the room.

Tasha had always been a beautiful woman. From the time I met her as a teenager, there was never a hair out of place and she carried herself with a certain poise that very few woman could.

That was not the Tasha that was sitting in front of me right now.

I don't know what I expected to feel, but a deep sense of sadness wasn't one of them.

Tasha looked a wreck, tears streaking her face, hair a wild mess, and she was holding herself and continuing to cry silently, not realizing it was me that walked in here.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and spoke out to her. "Tasha."

Her head whipped up in my direction, and she seemed surprised to see me there.

"Dimka, I didn't think I would see you again."

"Why, hoping I was dead, too?" I bit out harshly.

She shook her head quickly, her raven-colored hair sticking to the wetness on her cheeks. "No, no, no why would I want that?" She wiped the hair and tears from her face and tried to take a breath, composing herself. "They told me that Ivan is…that Ivan is dead. That's not true, right? I mean that can't be true."

I swallowed hard once again, feeling my eyes stinging as I thought back to what happened just earlier this morning.

"Dimka, tell me it's not true."

My silence was the answer she needed. Tasha dropped her head into her hands and openly wept.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to die."

I took the seat in front of Tasha and leaned forward.

"Who was supposed to die, then? Was it Rose? Or how about Vika?"

"No!" She exclaimed. "No one was supposed to die. I swear Dimka you have to believe me."

"You don't get to say that to me. You lost your right to ask me to believe you the moment you chose Nathan over us."

"You don't understand," she pleaded.

"Then explain it to me."

"Nathan is…he's someone really special to me." Tasha had a faraway and wistful expression on her face as she spoke. "I met him when I was just a child at the orphanage. No one in my life before that had loved me or cared about me, nobody except for Nathan."

She took a deep shaky breath, bringing herself back to the present.

"I know he's done some horrible things in his life, but he's not a bad person, I swear."

"Are you aware of what he put Rose through?"

For the first time since I got there, Tasha's expression hardened, as if I had personally offended her with my question. The look on her face only spurred me on.

"Did Nathan have a chance to tell you that I was the one who found Rose? Yeah, I found her shoved inside a cabinet with next to nothing covering her body. Every inch of her skin was covered in bruises Tasha. To this day, she has mental and physical scars that will never go away! Why? Because of Nathan." I clenched my fists in anger and the woman in front of me at least had the decency to look away in shame, but I wasn't done yet.

"It took her four months to finally let her own parents give her a hug. That's how much he had fucked her up. So how are you going to sit here and tell me that Nathan isn't a bad person?"

"And now, that same person has my baby sister," my voice cracked. Folding my hands in front of her, I bared all vulnerability to the woman in front of me. "You took Ivan away from me, please don't take my sister. Tell me where Vika is, I'm begging you."

"I don't know anything-"

"Tasha please! You know enough that you were able to contact him and deliver Vika to him. Don't do this to me."

Tasha closed her eyes and shook her head, mumbling, "No, no, no."

"Tasha."

"No! I am sorry for everything Dimka, I am, but I can't betray Nathan. I won't."

I leaned back in my chair, seething in anger. I regretted softening up and showing her even an ounce of compassion, because she didn't deserve it. She deserved to rot in prison, alongside Ethan and Nathan.

There was no point in continuing this conversation, and I knew when I walked out of here, it would be the last time I would ever talk to Tasha again.

Seeing as there was nothing left to say to her, I pushed the chair back and stood up.

"I have no other choice, please forgive me," I heard her whimper softly behind me.

Gripping the door handle so tightly, I'm shocked it didn't break off in my hand, I turned towards her one last time.

"Good bye Tasha," I told her, and left.

XXXX

"Did you get anything out of her?" Adrian inquired the moment he saw me.

I shook my head, finding no reason to say anything Tasha had told me since it wasn't important in helping me find my sister.

Rose, who had been sitting in my chair, stood up wordlessly and reached for my hand. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, but she understood that and instead pushed me into my seat and perched herself up onto my desk.

"You didn't have to get up."

"I'm okay here," she told me, smiling softly.

"We have to wait a while to talk to Ethan, he's in surgery right now to get the bullet removed," Adrian told me regretfully. I held my head in my hands, feeling my temples throbbing in pain from the stress of the last few days and lack of sleep. I was in a bad shape right now and I needed some type glimmer of hope to get me through the day.

"Are you both hungry? Rose and I can bring you guys something to eat," I heard Sydney say and felt Rose get up.  
I was going to say no, but felt my phone vibrate, taking my attention away from the doting females.  
I looked at my phone, seeing that the call was coming from an Unknown number.  
Usually I ignored these types of calls, but something possessed me to pick it up anyway.

"Hello."

I heard deep breathing on the other end, and I repeated myself.

I was about to hang up, until the voice on the other end finally spoke up.

"Dimka," the voice trembled and I immediately shot out of my seat, startling everyone around me.

"Vika, baby where are you? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I shot question after question at her.

"I'm okay, I'm just scared Dimka," I heard her sobbing, breaking my heart into a million pieces. "I miss mama, I want to go home."

"You'll be home soon Vika, I promise. Can you tell me anything about where you are?" I asked her urgently. I rifled through my desk looking for a pen and paper to write down any details Vika could tell me. Rose noticed and quickly found both. I gave her a grateful look and waited for my sister to speak again.

"I'm not sure, but-"

Her voice got cut off and I could hear muffled arguing in the back.

"Vika are you there? Vika answer me please!"

I heard an eerie silence, and then a male voice spoke up.

"Dimitri Belikov."

My whole body coiled tight in anger as I heard the familiar man.

"You son of a bitch, if there's even a hair out place-"

"Save it, she's not the one I want. Give me Rose and you can have your sister back."

Beside me, I could see Adrian trying to find the location from where the call was being made.

"Not going to happen. Give me Vika and I'll try to make sure Tasha gets the least amount of years behind bars."

There was a pause in conversation and I smirked, loving that I took the asshole by surprise.

"You have Natasha?"

"She's in a cold holding cell as we speak. Give me Viktoria and I'll make sure Tasha gets the easiest punishment." Adrian glared in my direction and I shook my head. She could rot in there till she died, but I wasn't going to tell Nathan that.

"Not happening. I want Rose for your sister." I gritted my teeth in anger. I was about to spew every Russian and English curse word that I knew until I felt a soft hand wrap around my wrist.

Rose held out her other hand, silently asking me to let her talk to Nathan.

I shook my head, because there was no one way I would expose her to Nathan ever again.  
Rose gave me such a sad smile that I was momentarily rooted at my spot. She took that opportunity and grabbed the phone out of my hand before I had the chance to object.

"Nathan," she whispered.

"Roza-" I tried to object, but she held her hand up, fending me off.

Thankfully for my state of mind, Rose put the speaker on, allowing me to hear what he said.

"Rose," Nathan said in wonderment and I saw Rose close her eyes in disgust. "Look at all of the trouble you caused, because you went behind my back. Where are you?"

"You know where I am. Where are you?" she said in a hard voice, and I wanted to kiss her at how brave she sounded because one look at her face, and I could tell she was scared.

I moved beside her and ran my fingers through her hair and she instantly relaxed into me.

"She has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me, please let her go," Rose pleaded.

"You're right, it's always been between the two of us, but since you got Belikov involved, I thought I'd do the same."  
Rose grabbed my hand tightly, not allowing me to speak out.

"Fine, where do you want me to meet you."

I quickly moved in front of her. "Don't."

She completely ignored me and bought the cellphone closer to herself.

"Where it all began," Nathan answered and Rose furrowed her eyebrows. "Come there and Belikov can have his sister back."

"Wait Nathan," but Rose was cut off by the dial tone; Nathan had hung up.

"Where it all began," she mumbled to herself. Suddenly, Rose's eyebrows shot up and she looked at me beaming. "I know where he is!"

 **Rose POV**

Hours later, I splashed some cold water on my face, trying to calm my nerves.

I was back at Dimitri's place, after the search for Nathan came up empty-handed. Not only was Adrian unable to place a location for where Nathan had called from because he had been using something called a burner phone, but I had been wrong, too.

When Nathan said 'where it all began,' I instantly thought about St. Vlads, because that was where he had taken me from almost a year ago.

The school, and the area surrounding it had been empty, so either Nathan had been lying or he truly was smarter than all of us had anticipated.

It was so creepy hearing Nathan's voice again. I was shocked I kept my composure in front of everyone, because the whole time, I felt two seconds away from throwing up.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts and I immediately shut the water off.

I opened the door, seeing it was Dimitri.

We hadn't spoken to each other the whole way home, because there was nothing to say to each other.

"I-I," Dimitri inhaled deeply. "I wanted to shower."

"Yeah, sure I'm done in here." Dimitri walked in and began stripping his clothes, his movements seeming mechanical. There was a brief moment where I wondered if he even realized I was still standing here.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked quietly, once he was completely nude.

Dimitri shook his head and replied back just a quietly, "Please stay."

He stepped into the shower, and a moment later I heard the water turn on. Not thinking too much about it, I quickly stripped out of my own clothes and stepped in behind him.

There was nothing sensual or erotic about this shower. Dimitri was soft and I wasn't turned on, either. Instead, I felt a deep wave of sadness as I looked at him.

I couldn't fathom how difficult this must be for him, having to choose between giving me up or sacrificing his sister. We were nowhere near being close to finding Nathan and though he might not have touched Viktoria yet, I wouldn't put anything past him.

I grabbed the soap out of Dimitri's hand and took over in cleaning him, seeing as he looked so out of it. He didn't object or comment, instead allowing me to do as I pleased. After cleaning him from his hair down to his feet, I stood in front of him silently, hoping he would say something, anything to let me know he was okay.

When he didn't, I hesitantly stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist. I placed my head against his chest, and after a moment of hesitation, his arms came around me.

"It's over," I heard him whisper. "There's nothing I can do."

 _Not if I had anything to do with it._

"We'll figure something out." There was a long moment where Dimitri didn't say anything, and then he gripped me to his chest so tightly, I had to bite down my lip from making a sound.

"I'm not strong enough for this Roza," he sobbed into my neck. "I'm not strong enough for this."

Feeling a surge of inner strength that I had never felt before, I held onto Dimitri just as hard. "But I am."

XXXXX

After Dimitri had gone to sleep, I quietly crept to the room that had originially been mine when I had moved in here months ago. When my parents had made me move back home, they weren't able to pack all of my belongings.

Luckily, the clothes that they left behind were the ones that would work best for me. I threw on a pair of tights and a long-sleeved dark blue shirt with St. Vlad's logo on the back.

Looking at the logo, I thought back to the phone conversation I had with Nathan earlier today. He said he wanted me to come back to the place where it all started.

Not Dimitri, and certainly not a crew of police officers like the ones who went there looking for him today.

No, he wanted me.

I threw my long hair up and slid into a pair of sneakers. Then, I made my way back to Dimitri's room one last time.

I felt my breath hitch in my throat and my eyes pooled with tears as I looked at his beautiful face.  
From the moment I met Dimitri, he had been the strong one out of the two of us. Every weak moment I had, from allowing him to see my scars to starting school once again, he had been there to lend me his strength.

And now, for the first time since I met him, he told me that he no longer felt strong enough to go through this.

And for the very first time in our relationship, I would be the strong one for him. For us.

I tiptoed into the room and stood by the bed. As silent tears made their way down my face, I took off the gold, promise ring Dimitri had gotten me and placed it on the pillow next to him.

There was so much I wanted to say to him, but I couldn't risk him getting up and trying to stop me. So I closed my eyes, and silently told myself everything I wish I could say to Dimitri.

"I wish I never showed up in your life. I wish you didn't love me, I wish you never loved me. I thought my life would start getting better once you came into it, but this is isn't fair. We didn't get enough time with each other; we didn't get enough time loving each other. You made me feel beautiful and protected, two things that seemed impossible to me. And I know without a doubt in my mind that there is no one I will ever love more than I love you."

I opened my eyes and bit down hard on my lip so I wouldn't cry out. I carefully took in my surroundings so this moment, my last moment with Dimitri, would be permanently etched into my mind forever.

Taking one last look at his sleeping form, I quietly left the room.

I wasn't just leaving the promise ring with him. I had left my heart there, too.


	30. Chapter 30

**Soooo close to the end, I can taste it. Enjoy and let me know what you think! :)**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

 **Rose POV**

I pulled into the parking lot of the school close to midnight. I wasn't even going to lie to myself and pretend I wasn't scared, because I was terrified. If it weren't for the fact that Nathan was holding an innocent person hostage, I would never have even considered taking such a risky step.

I also couldn't sit around and do nothing either, because I knew what kind of person Nathan was and it would just be a matter of time before he put his hands on Viktoria.

I parked exactly where I had last year when I had been taken and got out of the car. This was all based on a hunch and if no one showed up here, then I was going to feel really stupid about myself.

I was standing outside for 20 minutes until I saw someone walk by. My first instinct was to rush into my car and speed all the way back to Dimitri's, but I forced myself to stay still. I was here to set Viktoria free so I couldn't afford to lose my nerve so quickly.

The man was big, burly, and scary as hell. He just stood there staring at me until anger began to replace my fear and I almost told him to take a picture so it lasted longer. Finally, he lowered his mouth near his shoulder and I saw his mouth move. When he lifted his head once again, he smirked and the fear was immediately back.

In the distance, I could hear the sound of a vehicle approaching, disturbing the eerie silence.

As the man began to walk in my direction, the sound of the engine got closer. Just as he reached me, a totally conspicuous black, Escalade pulled into the school parking lot. Rolling my eyes, I looked at the empty parking lot as if it would agree with me that a vehicle like was an obvious choice for a villain like Nathan.

The man in front of me gave Dimitri a run for his money in stoicism; he was silent and brooding, glaring at me like I was causing him a great big inconvenience now that his boss wanted to kidnap me again.

He kept his eyes on me, but raised his hand and tapped once against the glass.

The door opened and an angry female Russian voice broke the silence between us and though I didn't know the language, there was no doubt in my mind that the words I was hearing were curses.

The girl the forced out of the car had Dimitri's eyes and the same color hair as him. That was as far as the resemblance between them went, because while Dimitri was stoic and reserved, the girl before me was a mouthy, firecracker who had no trace of fear in her warm, brown eyes.

"Unless you want to taste your own balls, you'll let go of me," she threatened and the man holding onto her arm quickly let go of her.

"That's what I thought," she mumbled and turned around.

Her anger turned to slight confusion as she took me in. This obviously wasn't how I ever planned on meeting a member of Dimitri's family, but I still stepped forward and mustered up a small smile.

"I'm Rose," I told her and her eyes widened in surprise. One second she was facing me and the next, she had whirled around and placed herself directly in front of me.

"Don't touch her," she growled in an even icier tone than earlier and I wanted to grab a hold of her slim frame and kiss her. What was it about the Belikovs that made them so selfless, so quickly?

I placed my hand on her shoulder and urged her to face me. "Viktoria, it's okay."

"No Rose," she shook her head urgently. "You don't understand what that man has planned for you! He's going to mar-"

"Hey!" the man who had been holding Viktoria interrupted us. He stepped forward and motioned me to walk towards the opened car door. "Let's go."

I looked back at Viktoria and grabbed her arms, squeezing them.

"The GPS is set up to take you straight to your brother's house. Can you drive?" I asked her.

She shrugged and I nodded. "Can't be worse than me," I told her and pushed her towards my car. "Go."

"What about you?" she asked softly and I swallowed the lump in my throat. Her eyes looked too much like Dimitri's and it was killing me.

"I'll be okay, just go."

"But Roza," she interrupted and I clenched my eyes shut. _Roza._

"Viktoria please go," I said so my voice sounded harder.

"Wrap it up, or the both of you will come with us," the same man spoke behind us again and I looked at Viktoria more pleadingly. If they took both of us than this would all have been for nothing.

"Go," I said one final time, and turned my back to her. A few moments later I heard the door shut and the car turn on, and I released a sigh of relief that I hadn't realized I was holding in.

Viktoria put the car in reverse, and throwing me one more apologetic look, pulled out of the parking lot.

Watching as my only mode of escape left me, I took a deep breath and turned back to the men.

And then I said something I never in my life I thought I would.

"Take me to Nathan."

 **Dimitri POV**

I was jolted awake to the sound of fists, and maybe even feet, pounding against my front door.

The sound came so suddenly that I was momentarily disoriented. Judging from the lack of light in my room, it was still nighttime, but I pulled myself together and raced down the steps to the front door.

Throwing the door open, I was met with a sight I didn't think was possible.

"Vika?" I whispered.

The girl in question threw herself against my chest so forcefully that I stumbled back into the wall. I remained frozen for a moment longer until reality set in and I wrapped my arms around my baby sister.

"Vika?" I repeated. "How…"

I pulled away from her and scanned her whole body from head to toe, looking for any sign of injury.

It was something I used to do when she was younger and hurt herself playing with other kids. I used to worry then, but that worry was tenfold now that I knew she had been with that monster.

"Are you okay? Did he touch you?" I asked her once I bought myself to my full height again. I gripped her face, forcing her to look up at me. "You tell me the truth if he hurt you."

Vika shook her head. "He didn't touch me."

I breathed a sigh of relief and bought her back into my chest, holding her closely.

"I can't believe he just let you go," I told her.

I felt Vika stiffen in my arms. She slowly pulled away enough to be able to look up at me.

"Because of Roza," she said. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked her. I looked towards the stairs and called up. "Rose, come down here."

By now, Vika had completely pulled herself away from me and stood there with a look of confusion and fear on her face.

"What is it?" I asked her.

Vika glanced nervously at the stairs, before finally setting her gaze on me.

"Rose isn't up there," she said quietly. I scoffed at her and made a move to walk upstairs and bring Rose down myself, but her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

This time, Vika grabbed my face and forced me to look down into her eyes. "Dimka, Rose isn't upstairs. I know this, because I just saw her and she's the reason I'm free."

I stared at Vika in surprise before her words finally caught up to me.

I raced up the stairs frantically searching each room for her. I searched through each and every space trying to find her. She couldn't leave me.

When her room and the bathroom came up empty, I tore into my room and looked around, though I knew. I knew before I even came upstairs that she was already gone. Gripping my hair tight, I let out an animalistic sound of frustration.

"Why Roza," I whispered as my eyes began to water.

My eyes roamed the room again until something shiny on Rose's pillow caught my eye.

I slowly walked over and grabbed it. Her ring.

It was the promise ring I had given Rose for her birthday.

I squeezed the ring tightly in my hand as my knees buckled beneath me.

How could she leave me?

I sat back against the bed and let my head fall against my knees. I felt a few tears escape me, until they began to fall in a continuous stream. There was no need to hold in my emotions anymore.

Looking at the ring in the palm of my hand, I wept for the woman I loved. I wept for the woman who sacrificed herself to save my sister. I wept for the woman who was now with the man she feared the most. I wept for woman who I feared I would never see again.

XXXXX

I pulled myself together only enough to call Abe, Janine, and Adrian over.

Adrian, thankfully, took over in asking Viktoria all of the essential questions an officer of the law should as I couldn't get through anything without wanting to scream, cry, or both.

"The windows were blackened out so I couldn't see anything, but I heard water when I was bought there and taken back out," Viktoria relayed what she knew.

"Do you think it was the ocean?"

"No it wasn't as loud, but there was definitely water near there."

"Okay," Adrian nodded thoughtfully. "How long do you think it took you until you reached the school?"

"Umm I would say about 2 hours, I'm not completely sure," she said apologetically.

"No, that's really good," Adrian said, giving her a reassuring smile. He looked at her with brotherly affection, and I realized just then that it was his first time meeting his younger cousin.

He didn't get to ask her anymore, because my front door slammed open and the Mazurs rushed in.

My urgent message at 3 a.m. in the morning and disheveled state was enough to alert them that something was amiss.

"Where is she?" Janine demanded, coming straight towards me.

I could feel my tired eyes filling with tears once again and dropped my head. I felt so ashamed.

My job was to protect Rose. I was her guardian.

And I had failed her.

"Where is my daughter Dimitri?" Janine asked again, coming straight to my face.

I swallowed roughly and answered her. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I woke up and my sister was here, but Rose was gone. She gave herself up to him. I don't know where she is."

"No," Janine whispered. She gripped my shirt tightly and shook me. "She can't be gone! You were supposed to protect her!"

I squeezed my eyes shut at the pain I heard in Janine's voice. I didn't even have any comforting words I could say to her. I had absolutely no idea where Rose was, and even with the information Viktoria had given us, it could be days or weeks until we found a clue about Rose's location.

I thought back to all of the threatening letters Nathan had sent Rose and a shiver ran down my back.

God only knew what he could do to her by the time we found her…

Janine had slumped against my chest and sobbed into my shirt.

"How could you let her go? You were supposed to protect her!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry," I told her, feeling my own tears escape.

Abe, who had been completely quiet since he got here, finally spoke up.

"I know where she is."

Every head in the room turned towards him.

"What are you talking about Ibrahim?" Janine asked as she still used me for support.

For the first time since I met him, he looked nervous. And the nervousness seemed to grow as his wife's eyes became more and more narrowed in question.

"What did you do?" she hissed.

"You know that necklace I gave Rose on her birthday, the one I told her belonged to my mother."

By now, Janine had pulled herself completely away from me and all of us listened to everything Abe said intensely.

"Yeah," she said slowly.

"Well, I may have put a tracking device into it, and hey don't be mad," he said taking a few steps back as he looked the incredulous expression on his wife's face. "I knew neither you nor Rose would have ever agreed and I wasn't going to take any more chances after that mother fucker escaped jail. I also knew Rose would never wear any piece of jewelry regularly, unless it had a significant amount of meaning to it. So, I took it upon myself to put a tracker into it and gave it to her as a gift."

We all stood there stunned as the words Abe said began to set in.

"Genius," I whispered in awe.

"Your daughter is going to kill you," Janine said, even though she was beaming at her husband.

Abe winced, probably thinking of the damage his daughter was sure to do if she found out her dad had put a tracking device on her.

"I need a computer or laptop and I can find the location of Rose within the next 5 minutes."

I quickly jumped into action and bought him my laptop.

For the first time in days, I felt relief and dare I say, some happiness. Abe was about to not only tell us where Rose was, but also reveal the location of Nathan. I wanted to put an end to him, and knowing he was going to be the one in my clutches now bought a sinister grin onto my face.

Abe typed away on the computer and we all stood there, holding out breath, until finally he looked at us with a triumphant smile.

"I found her."

I looked at the screen and then Abe with a look of awed surprise on my face.

"You know there is name for people like you in my country," I told Abe as he looked smugly at his computer screen.

He turned around and raised an eyebrow in question. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"Zmey."


	31. Chapter 31

**Can't decide if the next chapter will be the last one or not. Hope you all enjoy this rollercoaster of a chapter.**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

It was no surprise that Nathan's men had blindfolded me the moment I sat in the car. What I wanted to know was how they mananged to keep themselves hidden while Dimitri's men had raided the same area these men had found me in.

It didn't make sense to me that hours earlier, Nathan and Viktoria had been in the same place and yet, these men had been here with Viktoria when I had shown up.

I was burning with curiosity, but I told myself not to say a word, because I didn't want to give these men or Nathan the pleasure that I was speaking to them by my own will.

Nope, I wouldn't ask.

I would remain strong and stoic, just like Dimitri if he had been in this situation.

Yup Rose, just channel your inner Dimitri. You don't care how they did it.

Just keep your mouth shut.

XXXXXX

"Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!" I screeched like a wild banshee.

"Please stop talking," I heard the man on my right groan, but that hadn't stopped me.

Approximately 7 minutes into my vow to not speak to anyone, I cracked and demanded to know how they were able to have both Nathan and Viktoria on the phone at the same time and end up here while I had shown up.

Something I had learned as I pestered the men in the car was that Nathan still strongly followed his rule of no one being allowed to hurt me, because if he didn't, I was sure the men would have chucked me out of the car at least 10 miles ago.

"TELL MMFFF," I was rudely cut off as I felt a monstrous paw covering my mouth.

"Oh my goodness, I will tell you just shut the fuck up," I heard a new voice say and I inwardly smirked as I realized I had been so annoying that the burly, quiet one had actually spoke.

I waited, quite impatiently, to hear one of them start telling me what I wanted to know.

"Boss said he knew you would come," I heard the voice on my right speak.

I furrowed my eyebrows as much as I could beneath the blindfold. "What do you mean?"

"All he said was her guilt will bring her to me."

I ground my teeth in anger, despising how much Nathan truly knew about me. I still blamed myself for Inna's death, something Nathan knew. He also knew I wouldn't let an innocent person, especially that person being Dimitri's little sister, be hurt in place of me. I hated him. And I hated how well he knew me.

I swallowed back my anger and asked the next question that had been riddling my brain.

"Where were you all hiding then? And how did you know when I showed up?" I asked, turning my head to the left where the burly man sat.

The silence lasted longer than before, making me fidget in my seat.

I heard the man on my left release a deep sigh.

"No point in hiding it from you, since you can't do anything about it. I'll ask you this, what did your high school used to be back in the day?"

I briefly hesitated, wondering why St. Vlad's history was important to my question.

"Um a church."

"Hmm and when it turned into a school, what happened to the convent next door?"

I leaned my head back against the seat as realization dawned on me.

There was an abanonded convent within clear view of St. Vladimir's. It hadn't had any inhabitants for decades now, so it was the perfect place for a hideout.

"The police must have checked there earlier," I whispered to myself.

"Yeah Boss figured they would, so that's why we decided to come hours after his phone call."

The clever son of a bitch. He had this planned all along.

A chuckle from my right broke my train of thought.

"You seem surprised. Where do you think Boss hid the day he first took you?"

If I had been pissed before, I was seething now. I could feel my hands shaking and any other questions I had died on my tongue. My issue was with Nathan, and soon I would be facing him.

It felt like a few hours later when the terrain beneath the tires changed. Since I was blindfolded, I was relying on my other senses and could feel the car jostling a bit, telling me we were driving over gravel or rocks. The car began to slow down, until we suddenly stopped altogether.

All my nerves began to kick in once again as I realized this was truly the end. I was going to see the man who had ruined my life and there was no way to escape this aside from death itself. I thought back to all of the letters Nathan had sent me and I knew he was going keep up with his promises. In his eyes I had betrayed him and he wasn't going to take lightly to this.

Trying to give myself some final reassurance before I saw him, I told myself I was doing this without having anyone I loved getting hurt. Dimitri had his sister back and my parents would never have to deal with this Nathan drama again.

With that final thought in mind, I was tugged out of the car by my kidnappers. The first thing I heard was the sound of whooshing, as if there was a body of water near us. I gulped loudly as an array of images of how Nathan could use a body of water to his advantage after he got rid of me.

I wanted to scold myself to stay brave throughout all of this, but it was so difficult when I knew I wouldn't make it out of this alive. When I knew I would never again get to hug my parents and tell them how much I loved them. When I knew I would never wake up to see Dimitri's handsome face, or have him kiss me or make love to me again.

I hadn't realized I had started crying until one of the men spoke in my ear. "Your tears won't do you any good now," he said not as harshly as I would have expected. I sniffled and willed myself not to cry anymore, because I didn't want to give Nathan the pleasure of seeing me scared or upset.

I heard a another door open and felt myself being lowered into a wooden chair.

I heard the sounds of footsteps coming close to me while multiple footsteps felt farther and farther away. Moments later, I heard the door close and I felt my skin prickle. Someone was in here with me, and I didn't need to guess who that person was.

It was silent, save for my heavy breathing and I slowly and hesitantly bought my hands up to my face. I was waiting for some loud voice to stop me, but when I was met with complete silence, I untied the knot behind me and took off my blindfold.

It took a few moments for my vision to readjust to the bright, fluorescent light of the room, but when it did, I was face to face with source of my nightmares, the cause of all my pain, the only person I hated and feared with everything in me.

Nathan.

There was a lot I thought I would feel the moment Nathan came in front of me again.

I thought I would feel fear. Fear of knowing there was no way I'd be found again

I thought I would feel sadness. Sadness for knowing I was far away from the people that I loved and once again in the clutches of the monster who had ruined my life.

But instead I felt anger. An anger so deep that I wanted nothing more than to force the slimey bastard to his knees and shoot him so many times that he would never think of hurting another innocent girl again.

My heavy breathing due to anxiety shifted onto a different, stronger emotion and my hands twitched as I forced myself not wrap them around Nathan's thin neck.

He seemed to be studying me, his head cocked to the side, as if he was trying to find all the ways I had changed since the last time he saw me. I willed myself to stay still, so he wouldn't see how on edge I was, but there was no reason to hide anything from him. I couldn't hide anything from him.

"Rose," he finally spoke, my name sounding like poison spewing from his mouth. "Rose, Rose, Rose."

I don't know why I had thought I would see him in his usual expensive three piece suit or something equally as gaudy. I was pleasantly surprised that prison had been rough on him. He looked skinnier, if that was even possible with his already slim build. His hair had grown to his shoulders and for the first time since I met him, his clothes were raggedy, wrinkled, and old.

Prison had definitely been rough on him.

"Seems like I'm not the only one who's changed," I heard him say distastefully.

Nathan reached behind him, and pulled out a gun. He looked at it as he began speaking to me again.

"Do you remember what I hate the most?" I grit my teeth again. He had asked me this exact question right before he had killed Inna in front of me. And just like then, I stayed silent. "What is it that I hate the most?"

He looked away from the gun and turned to me. "I hate liars."

He walked closer to me and I forced myself not to flinch. My eyes quickly roamed around the room I was in, hoping to see something I could use as a weapon, but there was nothing. The room looked like one from a log cabin, and it was completely sparse save for the chair I was sitting on and a small table on the far side of the room. Well, if worse came to worse, I could always use the leg of the table or chair as a makeshift stake.

My wandering thoughts came to a halt once Nathan stood only a foot away from me.

"I hate liars. What we had was beautiful and you lied to the whole world about our relationship. I loved you like no one else ever has or ever will," he said seriously and I looked at him incredulously as the bullshit spilled from his mouth. Nathan cocked the gun and held it to my forehead. The metal felt sickly cool on my skin and I tried to steady my breathing. I knew Nathan wanted to kill me. I just didn't think it would happen so fast.

I tried telling myself this was good. At least he would be getting this over with without forcing himself on me again. He was allowing me a sick way to escape this mess and I prayed to God to allow me to welcome my death bravely and painlessly.

"Those months in prison, I thought day and night about all of the different ways I would kill you. It was honestly the only thing that kept me going. But now..." he trailed off and I opened my eyes again, seeing him looking at me in that same inquisitive way as earlier.

"But now that you're in front of me, looking as mesmerizing as ever, I don't think I can let you go so easily," he told me, as he dropped the gun. I released a sigh of relief, that was cut short as his words processed in my head. He wasn't going to kill me. He had other plans for me, and he wasn't going to kill me.

"No," I spoke, my voice sounding a lot stronger than I anticipated. He had to kill me. He needed to. "No!"

"Yes," he countered back. Nathan turned away from me and walked to the table on the opposite side of the room. He placed the gun down and turned around to lean against it. "I have much better plans for you. You see, since the moment I saw you, I always thought of you as my wife. My wife to have and to hold, in sickness and in health. But you were just a baby months ago, so that all remained a fantasy to me."

"No," I said again, but my voice didn't hold the same strength it did earlier. It sounded weak and pathetic, just as I felt.

"As I sat in prison and wrote my letters, I suddenly realized that my dream could turn into a reality. I am a very influential man Rose, and my allies aren't just other men and women in the same business as me. My friends consist of people in law enforcement, government officials, and even individuals who devote themselves to a Supreme being."

"And now you're 18," he explained, smiling sinisterly. "Why do you think I waited to escape when I did. I knew the day I got you back, I would make you my wife."

"No," I whispered to myself. I closed my head and dropped my head into my hands. This was a punishment far worse than death. He wanted to enslave me for life. "I would rather die than be your wife."

Nathan walked up to me and forced my head up by roughly grabbing a handful of my hair. I bit down my lip from screaming out in pain. His eyes had turned dark, with a mixture of lust and anger that I knew all too well.

"Watch your fucking mouth! Don't think I've forgotten about how you've betrayed me. You will be punished for what you've done behind my back with that Russian brute," his hand released my hair and he traced his cold finger along my cheek. His gentle touch repulsed me more than his rough manhandling did. "I just don't want to mar this pretty skin before the wedding."

He luckily dropped his hand from my face and took a few steps back.

"God, it's so hard to control myself around you. Just wait until tonight Rose. You thought I was rough with you before. You have no idea what I have planned for you tonight," he tried to say seductively and it sent an unpleasant chill down my back.

I swallowed a slew of curses, both English and Turkish that I wanted to throw at him, but a glimmer by the side table caught my eye.

Nathan's gun.

I was serious when I said I would die before marrying Nathan, and I would do whatever I could to take him down with me.

I came into this thinking my only escape would be death.

That could still be the case, it just wouldn't be my death.

Forming a plan in my mind and praying to God it worked, I smirked at the man in front of me.

"Do you want to know what I did on my eighteenth birthday?"

He looked at me slightly confused at my sudden change in expression and question.

"Did you think I was going to sit around and cry all night, because you escaped?" I asked him and laughed out loud to egg him on. "No Nathan. I spent my eighteenth birthday fucking Dimitri."

Man, if looks could kill.

Nathan disregarded his 'no hitting' policy so quickly that I think he didn't even realize it. One second, he was standing in front of me, and the next, his hand struck me across the face so hard, I was thrown off my chair.

Stars danced in front of my eyes and I bit back a groan of pain. Through temporarily blurred vision, I saw that I was still about 10 feet away from the gun.

I slowly stood up and walked backwards towards it.

"Don't piss me off Rose," Nathan said, gripping my arm so tightly, I could feel his nails biting into my skin.

"So I shouldn't tell you how I let him cum inside of me. I practically begged him to," I taunted him and it worked, because Nathan struck me across the other cheek. I fell onto all fours. I tasted blood in my mouth, but I didn't stop. Not when I was so close.

"You know, Dimitri was the first guy to ever make me cum."

"Shut the fuck up Rose!"

"Sad isn't it?" I continued. "I was with you for you 5 months and not once did you get me wet. But I came for Dimitri each and every time."

Nathan kicked me hard in the stomach and I yelped in pain. The kick literally knocked the breath out of me and I coughed until tears sprang to my eyes.

But it worked, because his kick bought me into reaching distance of the gun.

I painfully bought myself to my feet and looked at Nathan. He was breathing harder than I was, his face turning more and more red the longer I spoke.

I just needed one more thing to send him over the edge and I knew just what to say.

"You want to know the best part?"

"Don't!"

"I love him," I told. "I love him so much, it hurts me."

And that was the final straw. Nathan struck me so hard, I whirled around and landed against the table.

Laughing out loud, I wiped the blood off my mouth and turned to look at Nathan.

"You are so stupid," I said, picked up the gun and aimed at him. His face quickly changed from confusion to alarmed anger but before I had the chance to pull the trigger, a cacophony of gun shots, screaming and thuds were heard right outside our door.

He took his eyes off of me, but I didn't allow myself to get distracted. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the trigger and Nathan yelled, stumbling back and clutching his left shoulder. I saw a bloom of red spreading across his chest and released a deep breath of relief as I realized I actually hurt him.

My victory was cut short as his blazing blue eyes focused on me and the gun.

"You fucking bitch," he groaned as he took a step towards me. I saw his hand go behind his back, but before he could make another move, I shot again, hitting him through his right thigh.

Nathan screamed loudly and dropped onto his back. I had shot him on both sides so he continued to writhe and scream in pain on the floor.

My hands shook as my actions caught up to me.

I shot him. I actually shot.

On weak legs, I moved myself closer until I was directly above Nathan.

For the very first time, Nathan looked up at me in complete and total fear. For the first time, I was the one in control. For the first time, I looked down at my abuser, knowing full well his life rested in my hands now.

"I hate you," I spoke through gritted teeth. "I never did anything to you and all you did was hurt me. You ruined Tasha's life, when all she did was support you. You killed Inna, when all she did was love you. You ruined my life! But not anymore Nathan. I won't ever let you hurt another person again."

Nathan took in my words and looked at the gun I held steady in my hands. He held onto his shoulder and tried to scoot away from me, but I wouldn't let him get away this time.

I looked into Nathan's eyes, and as my finger closed over the trigger, the door to the room flew open.

I stood there stunned as I saw Dimitri's large body rush into the room, halting to a stop as he saw the scene in front of him. His own hands were holding guns, aimed and ready to shoot anyone who came in front of him.

"Comrade," I whispered in disbelief. "How...?"

Dimitri looked almost frightened as he glanced between the gun in my hand, a bloody Nathan on the floor, and the crazed look on my face.

"Roza," Dimitri said cautiously. He put his left gun into the waistband of his jeans, as he took a step close to me. "Are you okay baby?"

"I will be now," I told him shaking my gun in Nathan's direction. "I'm going to be okay now Dimitri."

I thought Dimitri would look happy or supportive, but as he took another step closer to me, I noticed how unsettled he looked.

"The cops are outside Rose, why don't you put the gun down."

I stared at him incredulously. "Are you serious? No, this ends right here."

"Roza he's going to go to jail-"

"For how long?" I cut him off. "How long until someone else comes along and sets him free. I'm ending this right here."

"Roza baby put the gun down," Dimitri said softly, but he looked scared.

Scared of me.

"No," I whispered furiously. "I will not let him hurt me again."

"He won't-"

"He will!" I screamed. "He will hurt me! As long as he's alive, he'll hurt me!"

Dimitri put both of his hands up and lowered his voice.

"He won't Roza. Please put the gun down. This is isn't you."

"It is me," I shook my gun in Nathan's direction again. "He turned me into this and the only way I'll ever be free is if he's dead."

Dimitri looked as if he was going to say more, but the pained laughter of Nathan stopped him.

"You weak little bitch. You won't do it. You can't hurt me," he said smugly.

Dimitri quickly aimed his gun at Nathan. "Shut up!"

"You're really going to listen to him Rose. You were right you know, I'll always find a way back to you. So why don't you get this over with," Nathan spoke and I felt my hands shake with renewed anger.

"Rose don't listen to him."

"You can't, can you? You'll never be brave enough."

"Roza there are cops outside," Dimitri said urgently. "Put the gun down. He won't hurt you anymore."

I shook my head as tears of frustration and anger clouded my vision. Why couldn't he understand?

"I need to get him out of life," I whispered.

"He will be, but not like this Roza, please." I glanced at Dimitri and saw how terrified he looked for me. I didn't want Dimitri to be scared of me and I didn't want to be scared of myself.

"Shoot me!" Nathan yelled again, and that final outburst was what I needed not to kill him. With Dimitri and the police here, there was no way for him to escape this situation. He wanted the cowardly way out, as I had earlier, and I refused to give that to him. I refused to let him get the easy way out. He deserved to live a long and dreadful life in prison. That would be the punishment he truly deserved.

But as much as I told myself that, my body wouldn't comply. I physically couldn't lower my gun from where it was aimed at Nathan's chest. I looked over at Dimitri again.

"Help me," I whispered through my tears. "Please help me. I can't do this myself."

Dimitri gave me a sad smile and though he took a step closer to me, he didn't force the gun out of my hand. "You can," he insisted softly. "You're strong-you're so strong. It's why I love you."

I clenched my eyes tight and let Dimitri's words flow through my head. I thought back to everything Dimitri had taught me since he came into my life. It wasn't how to kick or punch someone, or how to properly defend myself. He taught me to see myself as I did before I met Nathan. He taught me how strong, and beautiful and brave I was. And I loved him for it.

With that in mind, I willed myself to slowly lower my gun until it slipped through my fingers and clanked against the floor.

Dimitri immediately stepped forward, picked up the gun and stuffed it into the waistband of his jeans. He moved in front of me and immediately ran his hands over my body. "Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?" As he cupped my face, I winced, already feeling the incoming bruises from the hits I took on my face.

Dimitri was about retract his hands, but I grabbed a hold of his wrists, preventing him moving his hands away. "I'm okay," I whispered.

I heard someone else run into the room taking my attention away from Dimitri.

Adrian's panicked expression turned to one of relief as he spotted me in Dimitri's hold.

"Oh thank God," he stated. "Are you okay sweetheart?"

I nodded and mustered up the bravest smile I could. Adrian glanced at the floor where Nathan still laid in a growing pool of his own blood.

"Did you...?" Adrian asked in wonderment and I gave him another brief nod. He immediately walked over, and none to gently, yanked Nathan to his feet. The blond man groaned in pain as Adrian gave zero regard to his gun shot wounds. Dimitri stood in front of me, completely cutting off my view from Nathan, and I was grateful, because I didn't want to look at his face longer than I needed to.

Over Dimitri's shoulder, I could see the back of Adrian's head as he stood in front of Nathan. He was starting to read Nathan his rights until a uniform officer came into the room we were in.

"Sir, we found room full of narcotics that you both will be able to better identify than us," he said and Adrian moved slightly away from Nathan to speak with the officer.

Dimitri began saying something to me, but I couldn't hear him, because just like earlier, right as I was about to shoot Nathan, I saw him once again move his right hand behind him. He looked around the room nervously and just as he caught my gaze, he smirked, bringing his hand forward and showing me what he had been reaching for.

It was instant. One second I saw the gun in his hand and the second, I shoved Dimitri forcefully away from me and moved in front of him.

I heard the sound of the gun go off and immediately felt a searing pain in the middle of my chest, throwing me onto my back. A strangled cry reached my ears and I realized a moment later that it was coming from me. As the pain began to take over my body, I searched for something that seemed beyond my grasp. Through the dark haze, I saw Dimitri let out an animalistic roar as he raised both of his guns and emptied each and every bullet into Nathan's body. Before Nathan's bullet-riddled body even dropped to the ground, Dimitri had already whirled around and lowered himself onto the floor beside me.

"Roza keep your eyes open," I heard him say above me and I wanted to listen to him, but it was so hard. It had been such long, tiring day and all I wanted to do was close my eyes for a little while. "Stay with me Roza, please."

I felt arms underneath me and was airborne a moment later. I no longer felt the cold, hardwood floor on my back. Each step Dimitri took sent a jolt of pain through my body. It would be so much easier if I could just go to sleep.

I heard all sorts of commotion around me, voices sounding panicked or barking orders. I clenched my eyes and tried to focus completely on the one voice I was thoroughly familiar with. The voice of my Russian guardian.

"Dimitri," I tried to say, but it was so hard. I swallowed down the pain and tried again, feeling frustrated that I couldn't say his name.

"I'm here baby, I'm here. Just stay with me okay," I heard his voice and I wanted to weep at how sad he sounded. I was moved again, and felt myself being cradled against a hard chest.

"Put pressure on her chest, we'll be at the hospital in 10 minutes," I heard someone else say in the car and he sounded familiar, too.

"Roza please open your eyes," I felt wetness against my cheeks, and my heart broke at the sound of Dimitri's voice. I struggled to take a deep breath and opened my eyes as best I could. Dimitri's face was right against mine, his warm brown eyes overflowing with tears. "Don't leave me. Please don't leave me."

He pressed his forehead against mine and I saw the pain I felt throughout my whole body being reflected in his eyes. I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone speak so I let my eyes do the talking for me.

 _Don't cry my love, I'm finally free._

 _I love you. I love you. I love you._

I tried to look at Dimitri with all the emotions I felt for him in my heart, but my eyes refused to stay open any longer. I was just so fucking tired.

"I can't live without you Roza. Take me with you," I heard his voice sob, sounding further and further away from me.

As the last inkling of darkness filled my body up, I thought about how relieved I was to finally be able to go to sleep.


	32. Chapter 32

**This is not the last chapter! I would not end this story without adding some sex into it so there will be another chapter after this one lol. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter, and please let me know what you think! :)**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

Darkness.

That was the first and only thing I noticed. Everything around me, every inch was pure darkness.

I was aware that I was in my body, but that was as far as it went.

I couldn't feel any part of my body or any movement I attempted to make. I couldn't tell if I was lying down or standing. I couldn't even tell if the darkness indicated that it was nighttime around me or it meant that I couldn't see my surroundings.

Maybe I was dead. I mean I was shot so that was a strong possibility. But shouldn't there be something other than darkness around me if I were actually dead. I wasn't the most religious person, neither following my father nor mother's faith too strongly, but this isn't what I imagined the afterlife to be.

I tired again to move some part of my body, but after being met with complete numbness I gave up.

Okay Rose let's recap what you know. First things first, you were shot by Nathan.

I wasn't exactly sure what happened to him after, but Dimitri was there with me until the end, that I was sure about.

Secondly, I had no clue how much time had passed since the shooting up until now. Did I close my eyes in Dimitri's arms and immediately open them to the darkness?

Wow Rose you came up with two whole points- getting shot and being surrounded by darkness. Bravo!

Damn, if I'm stuck in the abyss with my thoughts then this was going to get old really quick.

Mentally huffing in annoyance, I retreated into myself and focused on the silence.

I wasn't sure how long I was alone in silence for until I heard a far away distant sound of a beep. The sound was so quiet that if I hadn't been so used to the silence, I would have surely missed it. I held my breath and waited, feeling a long period of silence go by, until I heard the beep again.

I felt my breathing speed up as I focused completely on the sound. I began to count down the seconds between each beep. The more times I heard it, the louder the noise became.

132 seconds. 108 seconds. Each time I heard the beep, I tried to pinpoint exactly where I heard the sound coming from.

97 seconds. 72 seconds. 53 seconds.

And then it just stopped.

I felt myself panicking. I wasn't sure if I was moving or screaming, but I wanted to call out for the beeping not to stop. I stayed in that panicked state, waiting for a sound to come again. When it didn't and I felt the spark of joy I felt starting to slip away, I realized how that small experience had left me so exhausted.

 _Roza._

My name broke the silence and wiped away any trace of tiredness I felt.

 _Roza can you hear me?_

Yes, yes, yes I wanted to shout, but I wasn't sure if my mouth was making any sounds.

 _Roza the nurse tells me you can hear me, but I'm not sure if that's true._

There was a pause and then the voice came closer, as if it was right above me.

 _Please wake up; nothing here is the same without you. The doctor and nurses put some sterilizer all over your body for the surgery and I'm starting to forget how you smelled like before this. How pathetic of me, right? I claim to be in love with you, but can't even remember what you used to smell like._

 _Please come back to me._

I felt small shots of warmth on what I could only assume was my face. I welcomed the warmth, no matter how brief it was, because it was a pleasant change from the cold I felt.

I waited for Dimitri to begin speaking again, but I neither heard his voice nor felt that warmth again. I was once again alone in that abyss so I screamed out for him not to leave me in here alone. I reached out to him, begging him to stay. I tried to imagine myself standing up on shaky legs and running after his voice.

And I pictured myself screaming. Thinking about everything I had been put through in my short life, I screamed out in sadness, in frustration, in loss, and in anger.

As I imagined my legs moving beneath me, the ground below my feet suddenly disappeared and I began to fall back as the darkness rushed past me.

The black I had become accustomed to began to fade into dark grey that turned lighter and lighter until my entire world went white. I could feel myself laying against something soft as I began to choke on an object stuck in the back of my throat, making it hard for me to breath.

"Nurse," I heard someone shout and I felt relief moments later as the object was removed from my mouth, allowing me to freely breath on my own.

When I finally felt calm enough being back in my own body, I opened my eyes and took in my surroundings. There was an older woman in scrubs standing in front of me with a kind smile on her face.

"How do you feel Rose?"

I swallowed and answered truthfully, "Thirsty."

She smiled and lifted a cup with a straw up to my lips. "Slow sips," she said and I welcomed the cool liquid running down my parched throat. My head fell back against the pillow. The nurse left and I turned to look at the other person in the room with me.

His warm brown eyes were shining down at me. His jaw was covered with a dark, shallow beard and his clothes were completely wrinkled.

"Beard looks sexy." It was the first thing that came to my mind and Dimitri broke out into a chuckle and then just as quickly, broke down into tears. The change in his emotions was so sudden that I was caught off guard at what to do or say.

"I was so scared," he whispered. His hands moved to cup my face and he sat down on the hospital bed. "I thought I lost you. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself without you here with me."

Dimitri moved his hands down to my wrists and held my hands up to his eyes and wept. My already injured chest felt like it was ripping apart again as I saw how broken Dimitri looked.

"Please forgive me Roza, please forgive me."

"For what?" I asked incredulously.

"I let you get hurt."

"No Dimitri-"

"I did Roza. I always told myself that no one could protect you like I could and you were hurt right in front of me. Right in front of me Rose," I frowned deeply as I heard the guilt in Dimitri's voice. With my wrists still held tightly in his hands, I opened up my palms and ran them across Dimitri's cheeks, wiping away his tears as best I could. "None of this would have happened if I let you shoot him. It wouldn't have happened if I had been paying attention."

"Stop," I told him. "You can't beat yourself over 'what ifs' Dimitri. He's gone now, isn't he?" I asked Dimitri much more quietly than before, almost afraid of what his answer would be. Dimitri nodded and I released a sigh of relief I hadn't realized I had been holding in. "This fight was between me and Nathan. No one else."

"But Rose-"

"No Dimitri," this time I cut him off. "It doesn't matter if you were there or not. It was between Nathan and I. In my eyes, it was either him getting hurt or me. I told you in the beginning that I wouldn't let you sacrifice your life for mine and I was serious about that."

Dimitri stayed silent for a while, taking in my words. I didn't want him to carry any guilt associated with what happened. Nathan was gone, and I was here with Dimitri. That's all that mattered to me.

"There were so many cops outside." He started to speak again and I was momentarily confused at what he meant. "I was worried that if even one of them walked in while you were shooting him, that you would end up getting into trouble. I know no one would have taken his side in court, but I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk you dealing with any more court drama than you needed to."

"I know," I said softly.

Dimitri ran his hand through his hair and I released my own hold from him. There was more he wanted to say, I could tell.

"I still remember the first person I killed while I was on the job," he said quietly. Dimitri wasn't looking at me, instead staring out the window on the right side of the room. It was dark out, so it must have still been the middle of the night. "I was only 20 when it happened and even though I had been in the right, that moment stayed with me forever."

Dimitri looked back down at me, and I understood so clearly why he had been worried I put the gun down.

"You've been through so much Rose. I didn't want the death of someone, even him, to be on your conscious."

"I know," I repeated again.

I reached up and pushed Dimitri's hair behind his ears and bought his face closer to mine.

"It's over; I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere," I told him, brushing my fingers through his scruff.

Dimitri stared into my eyes for a moment and then bought his face closer to mine. My eyes closed the moment I felt his soft lips touch mine. It felt like I was home again, in his hold with his lips pressing against my own. I wanted more, but Dimitri kept it brief. It wasn't until he pulled away and I stopped straining forward that I began to feel the ache in my chest.

"I love you so much," he told me and the words instantly bought a smile to my face.

"I love you, too."

I looked around the empty room and turned to Dimitri.

"Where are my parents?" I asked him.

"They're usually here all day, either together or taking turns, but it's 3 a.m. right now. I should call them though. Your mom threatened me in a very vivid way if I didn't call her the moment you woke up." I laughed at the image of my mom threatening Dimitri, and was hit with a strong feel of how much I missed my parents.

Before Dimitri had the chance to pull out his cell phone, he leaned down and pecked my lips again. Once he pulled away, I let my head fall against his open palm.

"I guess this means our excuse for living together is over," I told him pouting.

Dimitri chuckled and I felt myself smile as I heard the sound of genuine happiness in his voice.

"I guess so," he said. "Where do you want to live?"

I raised my hand and placed it on his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath my palm.

"In here," I murmured and his expression turned serious once again.

Dropping his forehead against mine, he whispered against my lips. "Always."

There were things that, despite everything we had been through, I still couldn't admit out loud to Dimitri. A part of me that forced me to be so open and vulnerable, that I couldn't bare to show that part of myself to anyone, even Dimitri.

He had asked me why I had done it and for me it was simple to admit. Seeing all that my parents had done for me, the friends I made along this journey, and most importantly, the relationship I built with Dimitri taught me what love truly meant.

If you aren't willing to surrender yourself for a loved one, then don't say 'I love you.' I sacrificed myself for my parents so they never had to worry about what would happen to me again. I sacrificed myself for Dimitri, because imagining him taking the bullet and not being in this world with me seemed unfair. He was too good, too pure to lose his life so early.

So my decision was easy. The same people I was willing to die for were the ones who made me want to keep living this life I had.

XXXXX

An hour later, my parents showed up, looking just as worse as Dimitri did.

They instantly burst into tears as they saw me. My parents moved to either side of the bed, and Dimitri was gracious enough to move out of the way.

He silently let himself slip out of the room, allowing me to get some alone time with my parents.

My dad kissed me all over my face as my mom picked my hand up and squeezed the life out of it.

"Allah'a şükür iyisin. Çok şükür, çok. Seni çok seviyorum kızım," My dad rambled off in Turkish, thanking God I was alive and telling me how much he loved me. I was reduced to tears as I saw the emotional turmoil my parents had been put through because of me.

"It's all over now Rose, we won't let anyone hurt you ever again," my mom promised me, practically pushing my dad's face out of the way so she could pepper kisses all over my face.

"I know, I know," I reassured them. "Everything will be okay now."

Even though I was the child and I was currently in a hospital bed from a gunshot wound, my parents needed this reassurance more than I did. Just as I had done with Dimitri, I needed to tell them that there was nothing else they needed to worry about. My mom and dad needed me to tell them everything was going to be okay now. I hadn't gone through this ordeal with Nathan alone. My parents had gone through it with me.

"Everything will be okay now," I told them and I meant every word of it.


	33. Chapter 33

**This is not the last chapter, but the next one will be :(( I hope you all enjoy and please let me know what you think! :)**

 **Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead**

A few days after I woke up, I was released from the hospital and once again began living under my parent's roof.

It was a slightly difficult adjustment, because I had gotten so used to sleeping in the same bed as Dimitri.

His sister Viktoria decided to extend her trip a bit now that her life was no longer in danger and he had been busy with her. She was even more of a handful than I was and Dimitri called me almost every night sounding exhausted and blessing his mother for raising 4 children on her own.

On the plus side, mine and Dimitri's relationship was out in the open so he was free to come and go, instead of sneaking in after my parents had gone to bed.

During the time I had been unconscious, my parents had fallen even more in love with Dimitri. Apparently the reason for the beard had been because he had stayed in the hospital almost the entire time I had been there. He slept and ate there. He had even taken time off from work so he could stay with me day and night. He would leave for less than an hour everyday, only to go home and take a shower.

Aside from that, he only left twice. Once for Ivan's funeral. And second, for Tasha and Ethan's hearing.

I didn't know all of the details, but upon hearing the news that Nathan had died, Tasha completely snapped. She was torn between two states- crying out hysterically for Nathan or being doped up on sedatives.

The judge had ruled that she was mentally unstable and she was sent to a psychiatric facility to get treatment.

I remember that part specifically, because Dimitri had broken down after he told me.

He told me it wasn't her specifically that he was crying over. With Ivan's funeral the day before and the judge's declaration of Tasha being mentally unstable, he said he felt like both of his friends died at once.

Ethan's ruling was quick. He had so much evidence piled against him that it took a jury less than an hour to agree on a verdict of guilty. He would be in prison for 15 years.

I had to take some time off school, as well. Though I was well enough to be released from the hospital, the doctor still ordered that I be placed on bed rest. Lissa had been bringing in all the assignments I missed and would regularly keep me company as we did our schoolwork together.

"So you're actually dating a grown man?" Lissa asked. This was one of the biggest shocks to her. I had been constantly surrounded by high school boys that admired me, but I never took it further than making out with them at most. Me being in a committed relationship, with an older man no less was a surprise to her.

"Yup," I told her, putting my pencil down as I saw her questioning wasn't going to end anytime soon.

A light blush covered her pretty features and I didn't need to wonder what topic she wanted to speak on next.

"Have you two...?"

I gave her a mischievous grin and nodded, earning a high squeal of delight from my best friend.

"How was it? He must've been so experienced."

I let out a dreamy sigh and leaned back against the mountains of pillows on my bed. It had been weeks since Dimitri and I had last been intimate with one another and I could feel the indescribable need building up inside of me.

Since the day I woke up in the hospital, every kiss, every brush of his skin against mine lit a fire inside of me that only Dimitri could put out. It was getting harder as the days went by to be intimately withdrawn from him and I knew he could feel it, too.

He was being cautious with me. I was still healing and we didn't really have enough time or a place we could be together. According to Dimitri, I was very vocal during my pleasure and he didn't want his sister or my parents overhearing. So now we had to wait until his sister or my parents were gone for us to finally be intimate again.

His sister was leaving soon and I knew I needed to wait until I was well enough to drive over to Dimitri's and hopefully spend the whole night there. I just hoped the time would speed up, because I was aching to have him inside of me.

"It was amazing Lis," I finally answered her question. "He waited until I was completely ready and it was perfect. I wouldn't have changed a single thing about it."

She reached over and squeezed my hand. "That makes me so happy Rose."

"Enough about me, how's everything going with Christian?"

I had been itching to ask her this since she came over. I hadn't gotten to know Christian well, but I would still imagine that what had happened had affected him and his family deeply.

"He's completely devastated," Lissa said. "He had been close with Tasha so he was really upset over everything that happened."

"I can imagine," I agreed with her. "Has he gone to see her?"

"Yes, only once though. He said she didn't really register that he was even there. Just sat in the corner and mumbled to herself in Russian."

I felt a pang of sadness hit me as I tried to picture Tasha like that. I didn't really have any deep, meaningful relationship with her but she had meant a lot to both Ivan and Dimitri. Imagining someone they had considered an integral part of their life end up in state like that broke my heart. She could've done so much better for herself, except she chose to follow a psychotic criminal who essentially left her all alone to fend for herself.

Lissa and I finished up the rest of our homework silently. Before she was getting ready to leave, I remembered something my parents had told me.

"Are you free this Friday night? My parents are having this big dinner now that everything's settled down. Dimitri's sister is leaving the next day so my parents wanted to have something she could be apart of."

"I'd love to come," Lissa said smiling. "Can I bring Christian?"

"Of course," I told her immediately. I couldn't remember the last time all of the people I cared about were together and the reason for it being something good.

Friday luckily rolled around quickly and I dressed myself in a black skirt and a loose, grey sweater to accommodate my bandages. I had a checkup with the doctor tomorrow, where they would permanently remove the bandages from my chest.

One by one, everyone showed up, each of them in pairs. Dimitri with Viktoria, Lissa with Christian, and Adrian with Sydney.

My parents had prepared a big feast, which I stayed far away from. Breakfast was the only edible thing I could make and the last thing I wanted to do tonight was poison any one of my guests.

I wanted to get a chance to have time alone with Dimitri before we sat down for dinner, but it was difficult with so many people around. When I finally pulled myself away from Lissa and Viktoria, I noticed that Dimitri was busy talking with my parents. I was going to interrupt, but they seemed to be discussing something serious so I paused.

After a few moments, Dimitri looked away from my parents and caught my gaze. I had no idea what conversation he had with them, but as I looked into his darkening eyes, I felt a hot and heady ache settle into my core. And it was clear that Dimitri felt it, too.

I didn't have a chance to bask in that feeling, because my dad called all of us to gather in the dining room for the start of dinner.

I sat myself right next to Dimitri and looked around the table at all of the faces. More than half the people here were individuals who I had just met months ago, but had become such important and integral parts of my life.  
Just thinking that, I reached under the table and grabbed Dimitri's hand. Almost immediately, without even needing to glance at me, he intertwined his fingers with my own and placed our joined hands on his lap.

My dad was the only one standing with a glass of wine in his hand.

"I'll keep this short and sweet, because I know you all must be hungry. I am a man who has tried to live a simple life and succeeded, because the only things I have truly valued in my life were my wife and daughter. Almost a year ago, I thought I had lost that."

My dad paused and I squeezed Dimitri's hand in a way to comfort myself so I didn't end up getting emotional in front of everyone here. I felt his thumb rub against my hand and sighed.

"I won't get into something that all of us are trying to forget. What I will say is this- every single person here has helped me, my wife, and my daughter in one way or another. Either by being an ear for us to vent to, working tirelessly to keep Rose safe, or by doing any and everything in their power to ensure my daughter never got hurt again."

Simultaneously, everyone at the table, including myself, turned to look at Dimitri. He kept his gaze leveled with my dad's and gave the slightest of nods as to show he appreciated completely what my dad said.

"When someone asked me who my family was, I always pointed to my wife and daughter. Today, I consider each and every single one of you as part of my family."

My dad ended his speech by gesturing for all us to raise our glasses.

"To those we have gained and lost on the way. To family."

"To family," all of us said in unison and drank.

I swallowed the drink and my emotions as best I could. After such a heavy speech, the distraction of dinner was a blessing.

I couldn't remember enjoying myself more than I did that day. There was nothing I had to worry about in the back of mind. No letters or mysterious people following me around. And absolutely no worries that Nathan would find his way back to me.

After dinner, Dimitri gestured for me to follow him. I looked around and saw everyone seemed to be caught up in some conversation or the other so I wordlessly followed him. He opened up the door to the back yard and we slipped out into the darkness completely undetected.

Almost instantly, finally being alone with him, sparked that heat inside of me again, and it was crazy because he hadn't said a word to me, yet.

We walked silently along the perimeter of the woods surrounding my house, savoring the quietness that was absent in a house full of people.

The thought instantly reminded me of what I had seen earlier and I turned towards Dimitri.

"What were my parents saying to you?"

Dimitri looked over and I saw the corner of his mouth lift up. "Have your parents talked to you about any upcoming trips they plan to take?" He asked me, completely ignoring my question.

"No, why?"

"Seems like I'll be getting my old job back for a week," he said and I completely stopped in my tracks.

"What do you mean?"

Dimitri stopped too and turned to face me completely. "What I mean is that your mom's boss is having her go to Nepal for a week and your father is going to accompany her. They leave Monday and figured you'd be more than okay with it."

My mouth dropped open as an array of images of Dimitri and I, naked and sweaty, popped into my head one by one.

"You mean it'll just be you and me?" I asked him, still in shock.

Dimitri bent down so his mouth brushed against the shell of my ear.

"You and me, all alone." I released an achy sigh from the promise I heard in Dimitri's voice. From the breath that escaped my lips, you'd think he had touched me. But no, it was all from the sound of his voice.

"Dimitri," I whispered and he immediately moved his mouth over, covering my lips with his own. He kissed me long and deep, causing that need to build up even stronger within of me.

Dimitri pulled away before we got too carried away and dropped his forehead onto my own.

"Dimitri," I said just quietly as before.

"I know baby, I know. I need it, too," he whispered. He pressed another hard, but quick kiss to my lips before grabbing my hand and pulling me to the direction of my house. "Let's get inside before I decide to take you right here." His words had not even an ounce of teasing in them and I knew he was dead serious about what he said.

We made it back inside just as my parents were clearing up the table.

Before I even had the chance to sit down, Adrian came up to Dimitri and I. A silent look seemed to pass between the two and Dimitri dropped a kiss onto my cheek and let go of my hand.

I was left with Adrian and his nervousness was the first thing I caught onto again.

"Can I talk to you Rose? In private?" I nodded and gestured him over to the living room. Adrian shoved his hands deep into his pocket and looked down, avoiding my eyes. "I was too embarrassed coming to see you in the hospital. I didn't know how I could look you in the eyes after what happened, I just really hope you know how sorry I am."

I jerked back in surprise wondering where Adrian's apology and guilt were coming from. "What?"

"I never let myself get distracted on the job. I should've checked him completely to see if he had any weapons on him,"

"Adrian what are you talking about?"

He barely heard me, but finally lifted his head up to look at me. "It was my fault you got hurt. I should have checked him to see if he had any weapons on him. I am so so sorry Rose, I am-"

"Stop," I cut him off gently. "I never, not even for one second blamed you for what happened. Never Adrian." My admission barely seemed to make him feel better so I continued. "I'm going to tell you what I told Dimitri; this was between Nathan and I. One of us was bound to get hurt and I thank God every moment I can that it wasn't any of you. So please do not feel like I would ever blame you for anything. He's gone and we're all here together. That's all that matters to me."

He exhaled a deep breath of relief and I realized how he allowed this guilt to eat him up since I had been shot. There were no other words left to say so I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around Adrian. He immediately reciprocated the hug and held me tightly to him. After a moment, we pulled away from each other and after giving me a small smile, he went towards the dining room.

I saw Adrian walk back to where Dimitri and Sydney were and seemed be to relaying what we had talked about. A few feet away from them, my father was speaking animatedly to an equally spirited Viktoria and Christian. At the table, my mom and Lissa looked to be having a deep conversation over coffee.

I didn't immediately go in to join one of the groups, and instead, leaned back against the windowsill.

Directly or indirectly, every single person in this house, including myself, had a life changing, shit storm of a year. And it taught me something.

No matter how many days you were granted, life was too damn short. And people in that life were precious, each and every one of them, no matter how many you were blessed enough to have in your life. And love…

God, love was worth dying for.

Worth living for, too.


	34. Chapter 34

"How much longer do I need to wait Roza?" Dimitri called out from the living room for the 6th time.

The master of Zen who preached patience was quickly losing his and it caused me to chuckle.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm almost ready."

I adjusted the top of my outfit, hoping I could cover my scar from the bullet wound, but it was completely visible. No point in hiding it since Dimitri would hopefully see me completely naked very soon.

I had been trying to think of ways to initiate sex with Dimitri that could blow his mind.  
The idea came to me suddenly when I was packing to stay with him for a week.

Since the news of Tasha being a criminal rocked my small town, St. Vladimir's was once again left without a dance instructor. That meant that dance and the senior showcase were postponed indefinitely.

I assumed I wouldn't need to worry about what dance routine to perform, but that wasn't the case when I saw the black belly-dancing outfit stashed at the back of my closet.

I would still be doing my belly dance routine, just not for the school.

The skirt reached the floor but had two waist-length slits on either side. The top was nothing short of a bra with thin black straps. Both the top and skirt were trimmed with gold coins that made a clinking noise every single time I moved.

I let my hair flow naturally down my back, just how Dimitri liked it.

Seeing as there was nothing more I needed for my look, especially considering I was just as antsy to get this show on the road as Dimitri was, I stepped out of my room to make my way to him.

In the living room, Dimitri was sitting with his back to me.

"Don't turn around," I warned him softly when I was just a foot away. I dimmed the lights so it was darker and turned on a sensual belly dancing beat, called "Yearning." It was slow and sexy, something that matched the atmosphere I was hoping to create.

As soon as the first notes of the music began to blare through the speakers, I stepped in front of Dimitri.

His eyes widened and jaw literally dropped. "Is this really happening?" he whispered so quietly, that I don't even think it was meant for me.

"Oh yes it is," I told him and began to dance.

I lost myself in the beat of the song and Dimitri's darkening, lustful gaze. I matched every sway of my hips or roll of my torso with the music playing the background. My body vibrated and gyrated like it had a mind of its own and I couldn't remember the last time I felt so sexy and feminine than I did in this very moment.

With every move I made, my body got closer and closer to Dimitri until I was standing right in between his legs.

"You're killing me Roza," he groaned out as I moved my bottom against his lap, purposely nudging against his hardening length. His knuckles were white as he gripped the armrest of the chair tightly. That didn't stop me though. I placed my hands on his knees, and moved my body in a circular motion against his lap, savoring the sound of the groan of pleasure that left his lips.

"Can I touch I you? Please let me touch you," he whispered in my ear and my body seized its dancing. There was such a vulnerable ache in his voice that I no longer heard the music in the background or my plan to finish this dance through.

No, all that mattered in this moment was me, Dimitri, and the need I heard in his voice. I turned completely around in his lap and placed either one of my legs outside of his so I was straddling his waist. Without wasting another second, I wrapped my arms around Dimitri's neck and all but slammed my lips against his. He trailed his hands down my back and gripped my hips tightly, pulling me closer to his chest.

"What about your dance?" He asked in between our kisses.

"Fuck the dance, I need you. I need to feel every inch of you inside of me," I breathed into his mouth.

"Do you remember our first night together?" He asked, his brown eyes shining with lust. "You were so wet and aching for me. Just like you are now, aren't you Roza?"

I ground myself hard against Dimitri and nodded. "Yes," I admitted.

"I was hard on you for the longest time. I still remember the sounds you made that night."

"You were so big," I told him breathlessly.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked as his fingers crept beneath the slits of my skirt and dug into the soft flesh of my backside.

"No, but you left me so sore. I didn't know how I was able to walk the next day."

"You wanted more the very next morning. You needed it."

"Yes," I told him. "I wanted you so badly. I still do."

Dimitri swallowed the rest of my words as he covered his mouth with mine. His tongue wrestled with my own and I quickly let him take over. Usually, I enjoyed showing him my own strength, even in bed, but I could feel in Dimitri's straining muscles, his powerfully bruising kisses, and his manhood pushing against my clothed sex that he needed this more than I did.

"Let's go upstairs." I felt air bound a moment later once Dimitri stood up on his feet. I quickly tightened my legs around his waist and allowed him to walk the both of us to his room. Our room.

I tangled my hands into Dimitri's hair and guided his lips back to mine. Finally, I felt Dimitri slow his steps, before the soft fabric of his sheets met my back.

The high intensity of our touching and kissing immediately fizzled down.

And we both realized how significant this moment was. Our bodies reconnecting again after coming so close to losing each other. It made us slow down and value what we were about to do. We had come too close to losing it all.

Dimitri's hands grazed up my smooth legs until he reached the waistband of my skirt. He hooked his fingers onto the material and I lifted my hips, so it was easier for Dimitri to rid me of my skirt. He gently placed it on the chair in the corner of his room, but didn't give the same respect or care to my lace panties that he practically tore off of me.

I giggled at his alternating roughness, causing him to explain himself. "I'm trying really hard to be gentle with this outfit. You need to dance for me in this little number again." I enthusiastically nodded and bought his lips down to mine for a quick kiss.

"Now how do I get this top off?" he asked me and I turned around between his arms so I was lying down on my front. The top of my outfit tied from the back like a bikini and all Dimitri had to do was loosen the knot for the material to come off. Dimitri brushed my hair away and placed it over my right shoulder. I felt him press a kiss on the back of my neck and continue further down until he reached the knot of my top. Slowly, he loosened it until the fabric parted to the sides, leaving my back completely bare.

Dimitri continued to kiss his way down my back, and didn't stop until he reached my butt. I felt him lightly nip against the right cheek before he switched over to the left.

"So soft and all mine," he mumbled against my backside. I felt Dimitri kiss the soft flesh before gripping both cheeks in his large hands. "There's so much I want to do to you, with you. I don't know where to start."

I looked back at Dimitri over my shoulder and saw him staring at the supple flesh of butt.

"Tell me," I whispered.

He squeezed my cheeks again and parted them. "I dream of taking you here," he spoke as his finger trailed down the middle and pressed against my tight, back hole.

I sighed in pleasure, wanting the same thing Dimitri did. "Why don't you?" I asked him.

He tore his gaze away from my butt and looked into my eyes. "I want to, I need to, but not tonight. Tonight, I need to feel you cumming around my cock."

I moaned at Dimitri's promise, feeling the area between my thighs clenching in anticipation.

"We have all week," I told him.

"We do have all week," he repeated and leaned down to kiss me. As his tongue moved against my own, I turned myself over onto my back once again. Without breaking the kiss, Dimitri grabbed the straps of my top and slowly pulled it down arms before throwing it somewhere behind him.

The cool air instantly hit my breasts, causing my nipples to harden even more. I wanted to feel Dimitri's skin against my own so I moved my own hands to the bottom of his shirt and tugged on it. Dimitri got the hint and pulled away long enough to take his shirt off and discard it onto the floor.

Pulling Dimitri back against me, I moaned as I felt his chest hair brushing against my sensitive nipples. Dimitri took his mouth away from mine and began to trail kisses from my cheek down to my neck. He left open mouth kisses everywhere he went and I was sure he was leaving his mark behind.

I sighed his name over and over again as I felt him brush his lips against my cigar burns. Then, he moved his kisses down to the center of my chest.

Suddenly his lips stopped moving and I felt him drop his head onto my chest. I lifted my head to look down at him. "Dimitri?"

I heard no response but felt a drop of wetness against my chest causing me to quickly sit up. Dimitri was forced to sit up too, but he kept a tight hold against my waist. He wasn't looking at me. No, he was staring sadly at my chest, right where my bullet wound was.

I took Dimitri's free hand and placed it on the wound, making sure he felt my heart beating right beside it. Both of my hands covered his and I squeezed it to let him know I understood where his sudden change of mood had come from.

"I can't believe how close I came to losing you," his voice cracked and I bit the inside of my lip from crying from the guilt and sadness I heard in his voice. "I thought I would never get to kiss you or tell you how much I loved you ever again. I had never been so scared in my life Roza." I squeezed his hand again, this time more for my benefit than his. "And all for me. You risked your life to save me."

I moved my right hand to his face, forcing him to look away from my chest and into my eyes instead.

"And I would do it all over again," I promised him darkly. To have him here with me- happy, healthy, and breathing, I would do all of this over again.

Before Dimitri could voice his guilt again, I pushed against his shoulder and switched positions so he was now below me. Just like Dimitri had done, I trailed kisses on every inch of skin I could get my lips on. I left open-mouthed kisses on his neck, down his chest, only pausing to circle his nipples with my tongue.

Dimitri tangled his hand into my hair to bring my mouth back against his and kissed me roughly, letting his tongue explore my mouth. I didn't let that stop my hands though. Reaching between us, I quickly fumbled with his button and zipper, and yanked both his jeans and boxers down his legs so both articles of clothing were in a heap on the floor.

Now that we were both bare, I sighed as I felt the head of his member brushing between my slick lips.

"Dimitri," I moaned as the tip nudged against my clit.

Dimitri quickly switched our positions again so he was once again on top. He wasted no time in leaning down and capturing one of my nipples into his mouth. He suckled roughly on the hardened peak as his hand came up to give the same attention to my other breast. Satisfied by his work, he switched over to my left nipple, giving it the same rough treatment as he did to right one.

By now, I was a writhing, soaking mess. My hips kept lifting to feel more of Dimitri against my clit and I could feel my essence begin to drip down the inside of my thighs.

"Dimitri, please," I begged him, digging my nails roughly into his shoulders. He released my nipple with a pop and trailed his kisses down to the apex of my thighs. He only paused to kiss the scars on my hips, before making his way further down.

"You haven't cum on my tongue in a really, really long time," he whispered against my soft flesh. For both of our benefit, his mouth surged forward and he attached his lips around my bundle of nerves, causing my to cry out.

From his nose to his chin, Dimitri pressed himself against me until I was all that he tasted. I reached down and tangled my fingers roughly into his hair, gyrating my hips as his tongue insistently flicked against my clit.

"Fuck, yes keep moving like that Roza," he moaned against my flesh. I obeyed immediately and as my pelvis began to rock against Dimitri's mouth, he enclosed his lips around my clit and sucked on it. Dimitri's tongue sent shivers through my body as he licked every inch of my pussy he could. Without warning, my first orgasm of the night rocked through my body and the tension I felt in the pit of my stomach snapped free. Dimitri lapped up all I gave him, running his tongue over my slit lovingly, helping me ride out the waves of my orgasm. When it was all over, Dimitri lifted his head from between my thighs, his mouth slick with my juices. He surged forward and crashed his lips against my own, allowing me to taste all that he had done to me. I felt the bulbous tip nudging against my inner thighs, and I opened my legs wider for Dimitri.

He released my mouth and went to grab at something from his nightstand, but I stopped him.

"We don't need that, I got on the pill," I told and saw his eyes widen in surprise.

While I was still in the hospital, I grabbed the first nurse I could get my hands on and asked them what the procedure was to get me started on birth control. I knew I wanted Dimitri all of the time and didn't want the fear of being unprotected to stop us from making love.

"Even better," he whispered against my lips.

Dimitri palmed his hard and heavy cock, rubbing the leaking head between my lower lips. He groaned at the friction and leaned over me, bracing himself on his hand.

"Please," I whispered and Dimitri directed his cock into my tight heat. He teasingly inched his way in, allowing me to feel every vein of his cock until he was buried to the hilt.

Both of us released a sigh of relief and pleasure at finally being joined after so long. I felt like I was home.

"So tight and all mine," he whispered before leaning over me on both hands. Dimitri set a steady rhythm of snapping his hips against mine, his pelvis brushing against my clit with each stroke. He lowered his head and took one of my nipples into his mouth, sucking on it roughly.

"Faster Dimitri," I cried out. I dug my fingernails into his biceps as the familiar knot began to form in the pit of my stomach. Dimitri grunted as I clenched around him, moving forward on his knees and leaving no space between our bodies.

Beneath my hands, I could feel how hard Dimitri was straining himself. His eyebrows were scrunched together and he lowered his lips to my neck.

"Let go Dimitri," I pleaded into his ear. Taking his earlobe between my teeth, I bit down. "Let me feel all of you." I purposely tightened my inner muscles around him again, emphasizing how I needed this just as much as he did.

Dimitri grabbed my hands off his arms and intertwined our fingers together against the bed.

"You sure Roza," he asked though he had already begun to thrust harder.

"Yes, god yes!" I begged and that was all the encouragement Dimitri needed. He pulled away enough so only the head of his cock remained inside of me, before thrusting back so hard I thought I would explode.

There was nothing I could feel, hear, or think aside from Dimitri. Dimitri's cock hitting that spot deep within me. Dimitri's strong scent of sex and aftershave filling my senses. And Dimitri's grunts and moans reaching my ears and matching my own sounds of pleasure.

Dimitri reached between our joined bodies and rubbed his finger against my clit. "Let me feel you cum on my cock Roza." A sob like cry ripped through my lips as the tension in my stomach broke free. Waves after waves of pleasure coursed through my body as I practically screamed Dimitri's name.

He allowed me to ride out my orgasm, his own thrusts becoming uncoordinated. A few thrusts later, Dimitri buried his cock to the hilt before releasing his warm seed deep inside of me.

We stayed connected like that for a long while, savoring the closeness and waiting for our breathing to go back to normal. Dimitri rested his forehead against mine, his beautiful brown eyes staring into my own.

"I love you so much Roza," he whispered against my lips. He pressed his lips gently against mine. "So, so much."

"I love you, too." Pressing one more kiss onto my lips, Dimitri sat up and slowly pulled himself out of me. I whimpered as he slipped completely out, our combined fluids from our lovemaking causing the inside of my thighs to grow sticky.

"Perfect," he whispered at the sight and I felt myself blush. Dimitri stood up and walked out, coming back quickly with a warm, wet washcloth. He sat himself on his knees again and rubbed the cloth against my lower lips, wiping away all of the evidence of our lovemaking. He threw the cloth into the wastebasket in the corner before laying himself beside me.

Dimitri pulled me onto his chest, running his fingers through my hair. "How do you feel Roza?"

I released a sigh and tried to find the right words to explain what I was feeling. I felt what I often did when I was with Dimitri, and that was a self-affection. He made me feel at ease in my own skin. He made me love myself again. . Dimitri had seen me at my absolute worse considering he was the one who had found me in Nathan's loft. He had seen me at some of my weakest and lowest points of my life.

And not once did he look away.

He never judged me, he stayed with me throughout everything, and I love him so much for it.

"I feel perfect," I told him. "Listen there are things I want to say right now, and not again because we're moving forward with our future and I want to leave certain things in the past. When I moved in with you all those months ago, the only thing I looked forward to in my life was the day I would finally die and leave the memories of everything I went through behind me."

Dimitri's arm tightened around my waist at my statement. I rubbed my hand across his chest and continued.

"And then I got to know you, your kindness, and your love. You didn't have to touch me for me to know that I belonged to you. What I want to say is that I will forever be grateful for the change that you bought into my life. It is something I will never forget. You saved me Dimitri and the only thing that is greater than the love I feel for you is my gratitude."

Dimitri grabbed my chin and slammed his lips against mine, pouring all of his love and emotion into it. I could feel tears pricking my eyes, but kept them away. We pulled away from each other, but kept a tight hold on each other.

"If there is anyone who deserves to have a happy ending in their life, it's you. Despite all you went through, you didn't become cold or angry. I did what was easy for me, which was loving you. You did the rest. My heart is yours Roza. No matter where we go, my life and my love will always be yours. I love you."

"I love you, too," I told him, swallowing the emotions I felt, before resting my head back on his chest.

We lay like that for a while, running our hands lightly over each other.

"One more thing," I heard him whisper.

I felt a cool sensation on my finger. Lifting my head, I saw the familiar gold band shining on my ring finger.

"Your mine and I'm yours, please don't ever take this off again," Dimitri said with so much love and vulnerability in his voice that it bought tears to my eyes.

"Never," I told him. I leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips. "Never."

A while later, I heard Dimitri's breathing even out. Peeking up, I saw that he had fallen asleep. I carefully maneuvered myself out of his arms and stepped out of bed.

Grabbing my phone, I quickly looked at the screen to check the time and date. It was past midnight now.

I picked up Dimitri's discarded shirt and put it on quietly and quickly. Taking one last look at my sleeping man, I stepped out of the room and tiptoed downstairs.

There was a lot on my mind still, even though I felt physically exhausted from my lovemaking. I reached the door in his kitchen that connected to his back yard. Through the clear door, I could see it was lightly raining, and despite that, I still opened it and stepped outside.

Everything was slowly starting to fall back into place in my life and it was a blessing.

It was May 5th now, exactly one year since I was first taken, and every aspect of my life seemed different from then.

My personality, the people close to me, and my overall attitude of life had changed.

I closed my eyes and lifted my face to sky, feeling the shirt I was wearing become soaked completely through. The rain felt like it was washing away the trials and tribulations of the last year. The air felt cool and refreshing against my skin, and I could feel my heart softening once again.

I opened my eyes and looked as far as my eyes would let me. With Dimitri sleeping soundly upstairs and a new year ahead of me, I felt excited about living.

 **It comes with immense happiness and a bit of sadness that Her Guardian is now completed. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to every who favorited, followed, and commented on the story. I genuinely took every review, whether it was advice on how to better the story, criticism, or appraisal to the heart and tried to create a story that all would love. I really hope I did these characters justice. Thank you once again to all of the readers. Love you all!**


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